Along the Way
by Hatochan
Summary: A series of short pieces written within the events of Tolerant Intolerance.
1. Scars

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read Tolerant Intolerance!!!

- If anyone is interested in Genma and Raidou's situations, they each have their own little pieces. You can go to my profile page to find them, the titles start with Boku no...

- This will be a series of short pieces that tie into the Tolerant Intolerance stories. Mostly the plot bunnies. I mentioned a lot of life altering events without explaining any of them, so now I am :) Plus, this helps me vent during my thesis classes.

- Please enjoy!!! Hopefully...

**Story Notes**

- Takes place shortly after the events in Comfort After the Fact, Chapter 4 of TI. Like maybe a few weeks later.

- This was prompted by 1) I love scars and the stories behind them, 2) Kakashi mentions the first scar in Comfort After the Fact while he's consoling Iruka in the bath. I thought that would be a good start.

**Warnings: **Coarse language, shounen-ai, some sad stuff, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Along the Way: Scars**

" How did you get this here?"

" Uh, that was a close call during shuriken practice. It was my first semester of student teaching. "

Kakashi ran a finger along the thin mark on the back of his lover's neck, just below the dark hairline. The tan skin was warm against him and smelled of vanilla and cinnamon and the light musk that accompanied every warm body. The jounin couldn't detect any lingering scent of their passionate night together; when they woke up that morning Iruka insisted they take a shower and made Kakashi wait while he changed the sheets before letting the older man pull him back into bed. They had been dozing and touching and talking for several hours.

Midmorning sunshine poured through the cracks between the blinds, giving more than enough light to see the muscular bodies lazing in bed. _I'm going to request more Sundays off from now on. Maybe every Sunday. _Kakashi smirked at his wish, knowing too well that long missions were inescapable and he would eventually have to spend his Sundays in less pleasant surroundings. But for now..." What about this one here?"

" Uhm, what does it look like?" Iruka actually twisted his head around in an attempt to see the bottom of his shoulder blade.

The jounin pecked him on the nose and pushed him back onto his stomach on the soft sheets. " Right here," He traced the thin curved line with a calloused fingertip. " , it's clean with a hook at the top of it and it gets slightly thicker at the other end. Like a cut and a burn. What would do that?"

" Oh, that's two scars. I got hit twice in the same spot." The brunette mumbled into his pillow.

" That's not a good spot to get hit. Much less repeatedly." _Not that anywhere is a good place to be hit. _ Kakashi continued to run his fingers up and down the length of raised flesh.

" No spot is a " good" spot, 'Kashi."

" Whatever. So, how did this happen?"

" The first cut is a training injury I got when I was a genin. I stepped into Hayate's swipe and he got me with a kunai. He couldn't apologize enough. It was weeks before I could get him to spar with me again." Iruka's voice softened quite a bit when he spoke the deceased's name. Kakashi noticed it, but decided to leave his questions on that matter for another Sunday. He didn't use quite the same tone when he continued." The burn is from a heated kunai when I was eighteen that just happened to catch me in the same place."

Kakashi's inner shinobi envisioned the blades' trajectory and movement, how the specific marks had been carved into the tan flesh. His more sensitive side flinched at the pain that had been caused. " Was that from a mission?"

The body beside him stiffened. " No. I got that from Mizuki. He was...unpredictable. "

_Mizuki? You mean..._Kakashi swallowed the fury that immediately flared at the man's name and only increased when he realized that this mark had been gained during the chuunin's ' relationship' with the silver haired traitor. _Iruka let that bastard hurt him, most likely in an effort to keep him from injuring Naruto, or worse, Iruka was trying to handle him gently and got this for his troubles. _The pale man moved on, fingers stroking across a large patch of puckered flesh in the middle of Iruka's back. " What about this one?"

Iruka stiffened again. " Windmill shuriken."

" Mizuki?"

" Yeah. He meant it for Naruto. "

_Just as I thought. Moving on. _ " This big one here. It looks really old." Kakashi eyed the irregular shape of raised skin, only slightly darker than his normal skin tone. He nearly sighed with relief when Iruka's form relaxed back into the mattress.

There was a hint of laughter in his voice as he spoke. " I fell on a rock when I was nine."

" You fell on a rock?" Kakashi asked, incredulous.

" Unlike the Great Hatake Prodigy, grace was never one of my innate abilities. I had to train to get the cat like reflexes I display now. " Iruka turned his head towards his lover, smile evident beneath the loose strands of dark hair. " Sorry, but even if every scar tells a story, they're not all interesting stories. "

" Fair enough." Kakashi trailed his hands over the athletic body, finding new scars with different origins. A circle of tiny dots below his last rib; cluster of poisoned needles in Grass. A series of small slashes on the back of one thigh; shuriken in Mist. Stab wound on right bicep, slash across left calf, slash across right calf, countless smaller lighter scars; Mizuki. Nick on the underside of one muscular buttock; an undisclosed dare made by Anko when he was twelve. Puncture wound on bottom of right foot; a rusty nail when he was three.

One lengthy line stretched from the base of the first finger on his right hand back across the meat between the index and thumb and ended at his wrist. It was very thin. " Was this a wire injury?" Kakashi knew the chuunin had a passion for wire work and had already found other marks left by the tool of the trade.

" Paper cut. Again, my first semester of student teaching." Iruka chuckled. He rolled over, stretching along the length of the bed, arms arced above his head and fingers entwined. " I've got a lot of scars from that autumn. "

" Teaching shouldn't be that dangerous." Kakashi smirked, his fingers creeping back over the tan body to find more milestones carved in flesh.

" You've never dealt with pre-genin. They are tiny little packages of explosive surprise." Dark eyes squinted in gleeful amusement, then Iruka began to groan appreciatively in response to the pale man's searching touches, moving under Kakashi's hands.

" Feels good? "

" Mmmm, yeah."

Kakashi didn't reply. He smiled softly as his attention was drawn to a dark spot on his lover's left shin. The jounin smoothed over the discoloration a few times.

" Broken leg, bone went all the way through. Bodyguard mission to Lightning. " Iruka's low voice spoke up.

Kakashi didn't speak, letting his fingers ask his questions, Iruka responding easily. Puncture wounds on either side of his left knee; arrow in Lightning. Rope burn around right thigh; one night stand in Grass. Slim crescent shaped mark just below his navel; wire trap during a missing nin ambush. He tickled the sensitive skin of Iruka's belly and delighted in the dolphin's deep throated chuckles.

Pale fingers tip-toed over a well defined chest, focusing on the left pectoral which had a chunk of flesh cut out near the top of the muscle, close to the breastbone. Kakashi pondered its probable causes, his ninja brain providing all sorts of weaponry and angles and attacks. Iruka was still purring under his ministrations, apparently too relaxed to sense the other man's questioning touch. " What's this one from?"

Iruka opened his eyes at the silky voice and stopped purring. His smile lost a little of its brightness as he placed his hand over the scarecrow's and the scar. " Mizuki tried to cut out my heart."

" What?" _I didn't just hear that. _

" Mizuki." Iruka repeated, gently stroking the pale fingers. " He was angry with me and tried to cut my heart out with a kunai. He said it was only fair since I had broken his. " There was a pause and rueful laughter. " He was always a bit melodramatic."

_What the fuck... _Kakashi couldn't even give an intelligent response to that bit of information. His imagination was giving him horrific scenarios, each one bloodier than the last until he had to shut his eyes to physically block the mental images. He must have pulled quite an expression, because he felt Iruka's hand slide up his arm and come to rest on the side of his neck.

" Don't think so much about it, 'Kashi love. I don't." The dolphin's thumb began to trace the delicate jaw line.

Kakashi didn't open his eyes, but took Iruka's hand in his own and moved them away from the marred flesh. Leaning down, the jounin pressed his lips to the uneven patch of skin. It was a tender kiss, meaningful and chaste. When Kakashi did reveal the mismatched irises, he only saw his own emotions reflected in the rich sable. " Beloved." The whisper drifted over golden skin. " I promise if you break my heart, I won't have the will to breathe, much less lift a kunai. "

" Kami-sama, don't say shit like that!" Iruka rolled his eyes and playfully slapped his lover on the cheek.

" Oh sensei! Such language!" Kakashi shrieked. He shifted so his lips were on level with Iruka's, hovering a breath above the sligthly opened mouth. " I can think of much more wholesome activities for that pretty mouth of yours."

" Why do I doubt the ' wholesome' part of that statement?" Iruka tried to lift his head, to make contact, but Kakashi pulled away, much to the chuunin's frustration. " I thought you were going to show me ' wholesome' stuff."

" Maybe later." Kakashi moved further away, then swooped in for a brief kiss. " Well, definitely later. Maybe in just a few minutes, but I haven't finished exploring yet. " Lips moved from lips to nose, feather light kisses peppering the line of Iruka's prominent facial scar. " What about this one?" _ The one that made me stop and take notice. The one that I fell in love with. _

" I stumbled into the Forest of Death when I was five. A plant tried to eat me."

" But the Forest of Death has more security measures than even the Hokage Tower."

" Yeah, it does NOW."

_Owari..._


	2. CDs

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

- Just another little ' getting to know you' moment between Kakashi and Iruka:)

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This occurs one or two months after the events of TI.

- Again, you don't have to read TI, but things might make more sense if you do. And it would make me happy:) Same goes for the 'Boku no' pieces ( GenRai), I sometimes use memory references or such from those stories.

- Enough of my babbling !

**Warnings: **Coarse language, shounen-ai, sexual language, kissies, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**CDs**

" Okay, what about ' Shikamaru'?"

" Mostly classical. Some folk tunes. It's great for when I'm grading papers."

" Alright. How about, uhm..."

Kakashi and Iruka were cleaning up the latter's apartment after the former took a nasty spill when he tripped over a stack of books. Just one of the many stacks of _stuff_ pulled from the shelf and never returned. The silver haired scarecrow marveled at the contradiction of organized sensei and sloppy bachelor that resided within Iruka. So they threw open one window ( though not horribly as cold as the last few days , it was still winter) to let in fresher air and the warming rays of sun and began early spring cleaning. Once the general confusion of teaching and school supplies were put into their proper places, the dirty dishes in the sink and the laundry in the basket, they had moved on to reorganizing some of the dolphin's things. Kakashi had headed straight for the entertainment system in all its glorious disarray.

Then he had gotten hung up on the CDs' titles while he put them in something that resembled order. The past half hour had been filled with curious questions and laughingly returned answers.

Kakashi was sorting through the four boxes of what he had privately dubbed ' the Konoha series'; discs labeled with names, as opposed to verbs. He was pulling the CDs from their boxes and making stacks on the floor, ordering them first by name( in case they had more than one disc) and then lining them up in order of youngest to oldest to be put back into the box ( it made sense in Kakashi's mind; students, friends, elders) . " ... uh, this one has ' Genma and Raidou' written on it."

" They have a lot of discs, most of them are copies of what I made for them." Iruka replied from his position at the kitchen sink where he was trying to rid the cups of six month old tea stains. He didn't seem to be having any luck with it. " The two discs with just their names have a mix of rock, dance and punk; I tend to play those when they come over for drinks. I have four discs marked ' G & R: Anniversary' with different ballads and love songs, some lighter rock. That's what they requested for their one year dating anniversary, things to play early in the evening. " A cup was placed , none to gently, on the counter. Iruka was obviously getting frustrated with the stubborn stains. " There are nine CDs marked with their names and ' After hours'. Those gems are hardcore sex anthems and soundtracks with a few emo ballads thrown in for breathing spells."

" Do you ever use them?" Kakashi asked in what he thought was a very nonchalant manner.

Iruka laughed outright and pulled his hands from the luke warm water to face the seated jounin. " I hope that isn't your best effort at subterfuge, Hatake. But, no, I haven't used them. " He paused a moment before pushing off the counter. " I've never needed something to keep up the correct rhythm. "

The choked gasp that erupted from Kakashi's mouth was quickly covered with a cough. " Damn, dust." He mumbled irately. Kakashi watched as Iruka left the kitchen area and ambled into the living area towards the wall it shared with the bedroom. The young man began rearranging the wall's decorations. " What about ' Kotetsu' ?"

" Show tunes."

" Seriously?"

" That's what he likes."

" ' Shizune' ?"

" Opera. Foreign and domestic. Classical and modern."

The silver hair wavered as Kakashi shook his head. The next discs had ' Mom' and 'Dad' scrawled across the covers in juvenile strokes. Kakashi set them to the side as he had every other disc labeled with a deceased's name; he wasn't quite ready to delve into those waters just yet. He moved on. " ' Neji' ?"

Iruka didn't look over his shoulder as he responded, his attention focused on the wall of paper clippings, photos and children's drawings that he was attempting to dust without damage. " His is classical, too, but more somber in mood. Strong orchestral pieces, like thunderstorms or funeral marches. With a few lighter pieces as contrast." An ancient strip of parchment fell off its pin, the delicate material worn yellow and thin. " Damnit." Iruka cursed under his breath and picked the torn paper from the floor. Kakashi watched as the chuunin examined what appeared to be a handwritten poem of some sort before it was re-pinned to the wall. Muscular arms, bronzed and straining the tight sleeves of the t-shirt, caught the jounin's eye. " Actually, it's good for stormy afternoons with tea and a book. But not _your_ book."

" Yeah, sounds a little overdramatic for Icha Icha. " Kakashi grinned beneath his mask, thankful for the dark material soaking up the drool, and moved the two ' Neji' discs to the student aged pile to his left. " So, are all of these your interpretations of these people?"

" Not all of them. The earlier ones are mostly my takes on different personalities or my relationship with them." Iruka moved three photos to the right side of a large tissue paper flower. " When I got better at it, Genma introduced me to some of the DJs here in the village and they showed me how mix, to play to a room, etcetera. Then I started getting noticed and people would ask me for their own discs. " A row of newspaper articles was clipped to a section of woven colored yarn. " They usually had their own song requests and I would fill in the gaps if needed with complementary tracks. I keep a copy of every CD I burn, whether on my own or commissioned. The requests have my signature on the back cover, if you were wanting to know which were which."

" You used to DJ?"

" Best damn DJ in all of Fire Country. " Iruka stated matter-of-factly.

Kakashi nodded, absorbing the new information, and began checking the back covers. " ' Sakura', #1- #3 ?" The third disc had ' Umino Iruka' in precise kanji on the back.

" #1 has little girly songs, kids' stuff mostly. Sakura was such a sweet child. " Iruka stopped in his cleaning to give the other man a nostalgic grin. Kakashi felt the urge to melt under that look. Tossing his dust rag over one shoulder, the brunette skirted around the couch and began removing knick-knacks and mementos from a decorative shelf near the front door, carefully wiping each one clean before setting them on a nearby bookcase. " The second disc is still girly, but more mature, some emo, some ballads. #3 has a lot of female vocals of the more... punk persuasion. I use some of those when I mix for parties. "

" Do you still do that?"

" Not a much as I used to. " He dusted off a small sea shell. " I cover the annual chuunin-jounin parties, work the clubs sometimes. It's a great hobby and I get to meet all sorts of people." The shell was close to blindingly bright from the vigorous polishing. " You should come to the next chuunin-jounin orgy."

" If I had known it was an orgy I wouldn't have avoided it all these years." Kakashi snickered from his spot on the wooden floor. " And isn't it the annual 'jounin-chuunin' party? Not the other way around."

" Depends on who you're talking to."

" Oh."

" They might as well call it an orgy since that's what it degenerates into by early morning. " Iruka wiped off the empty shelf and then busied himself placing the cleaned items back onto its dark wood. " And you should come to the parties, even if sex isn't guaranteed. In fact, Genma and Raidou are having a small get-together at their apartment next week. I'm mixing the music for them, but I won't be working, they have an excellent sound system. " The sea shell was placed last on the left hand corner. " You should go with me."

" Do I have to dance?"

" Not if you don't mind watching me dance."

" By yourself?"

" No."

Kakashi frowned. He wasn't really sure how he felt about that. _I've seen him with other people, hugging on Raidou and hanging all over Genma, but that was before we said the 'L' word. And I've never seen him at one of these parties, though I've heard a whole helluva lot about it. Would it bother me to see him touching other people, other guys? Am I going to get all pissed off and go ANBU on someone's ass? _The CDs he had picked up were laying forgotten in his lap, gray eye clouded with thought. _I think..._

" 'Kashi, I love you."

" What?" Kakashi was snapped out of his deep thought processes by the quiet proclamation.

The dolphin crossed the small space and knelt behind the jounin. Kakashi again felt the urge to melt into the bronzed man who draped himself over his shoulders, cotton covered chest warm against his cotton covered back. Strong arms crossed over Kakashi's front, embracing him. The dust rag fell forward and into his lap. " Do you know what causes jealousy?"

" Insecurity." Kakashi responded automatically. He inhaled the wonderful scent that was 'Iruka', his beloved, and felt a blush rise to his cheeks. _Thank kami for the mask._

" And what is insecurity, really?" Iruka breathed softly into his lover's ear.

" F-fear." The jounin stammered as the blood left his cheeks to flow further south. He was partially aware that Iruka was trying to tell him something important. Kakashi made a conscious effort to pay attention.

Little nips and kisses were applied to the side of the older man's mask. " Fear of being betrayed, of being abandoned. " Iruka tightened his hold on Kakashi, bringing one broad hand up to grasp the clothed chin and tilt the head for better access. Kakashi began to breathe heavily under the mask, reacting very positively to Iruka's almost forceful handling. The dolphin slid a single finger under the top edge of the cloth and pulled it down just enough to expose the bottom half of Kakashi's earlobe and a bit of cheek bone. Smooth lips touched along the soft skin, white teeth nibbled the rounded lobe. " I want you to know that I love you, that I would never intentionally hurt you and that I will never flaunt my behavior to anger you or make you jealous." Iruka let the mask spring back into its original place, mouth brushing one last kiss over a silvered temple. " I want you to know that I will change some of my behaviors out of respect for you and what you mean to me, but I won't stop being 'me' around my friends. So, " He leaned forward and rested his cheek against the dark material. " do you trust me? "

Kakashi could hardly think with the man so close. " I do. I trust you." And suddenly the doubt that had been niggling at the back of his mind dissolved into certainty and warm hugs. _It's one thing to be afraid, another to be stupid. _The jounin knew he would be okay, because he knew no matter who Iruka touched or talked to or danced with, the dolphin would be coming home to him. _He'll always come home to me. _" I trust you and I would like to go with you to Genma and Raidou's party. I promise not to cause a scene. "

More bubbling laughter. " You say some of the most ludicrous things sometimes. " Iruka dragged one hand up Kakashi's chest until it reached the stretched out neckline and then slowly pushed underneath the cotton. The jounin shivered as the tan fingers tip toed over a nipple, then tugged the nub of flesh to stand erect. " You know, I said I wouldn't flaunt just to make you jealous, but..." Iruka ran the tip of his tongue along the upper crease of Kakashi's ear, breath hot and moist. " I think ,with your voyeuristic tendencies, that you might appreciate a little... show."

" What kind of sh-show?" Kakashi was once again reduced to stammering. The CDs in his lap were pushed onto the floor. Without the use of his hands. _Oh shit._

" Just imagine...me, no shirt, sweat dripping into black leather pants. " The tan fingers left the nipple to scrape lightly along defined abs. " Moving to a pounding beat, music so loud you can't hear yourself think. " The other hand reclaimed its spot on Kakashi's jaw line, possessive. " Twisting just out of your reach, twirling, gyrating. Grinding my ass back into some young man's groin, his thumbs hooked under my waist band, my arms looped back around his neck. " Iruka bit his way along his lover's masked jaw.

Any second, Kakashi was going to start hyperventilating. Iruka's hardening groin was pressed into the scarecrow's back, rubbing through the two layers of material and sending molten waves of heat straight to his cock. " ' Ruka." He moaned unconsciously.

" Or, " Iruka slowly clawed the mask down. " maybe you'd prefer me grinding my dick into some young man's denim clad ass, hands under his waist band, fingertips just barely touching that hot skin." Kakashi stiffened up, Iruka laughed quietly, seductively. " Rolling our hips, thrusting to the beat. Practically fucking each other on the dance floor, right in front of you." A warm wet tongue trailed up the side of Kakashi's face, then made kitten licks towards the jounin's mouth. " I think you would like that."

_If only I had known what a sex freak this man is... but then it would have probably changed the outcome. And I like what I've got right now. I sooooo like what I've got now! _Kakashi's head lolled back onto his lover's shoulder, giving himself over completely into the capable tan hands. His mind did manage to pull itself together enough to make a suggestion. " We could practice that scenario now. I could stand in for your mystery partner." Kakashi yelped as his nipple was roughly tweaked.

" Good idea." Iruka purred into his ear, pulling his hand from Kakashi's shirt and leaning further over the man's bent form. " And I have the perfect disc for it. Pure animalistic electric lust, music just for fucking the one you love. "

A CD was dropped into Kakashi's lap, barely caught by his fumbling hands. It took a moment for the jounin's brain to process the hiragana and he was still convinced that he wasn't reading the label correctly. " ' Hinata's Picks #2' ?"

" The girl has a gift. I'm thinking of making her my protégé, it's a good hobby for her."

" Hinata?"

" Yep. Must be all the long years of repression. I nearly came in my pants the first time I listened to it. Only thing that stopped me was her being in the same room at the time. "

" Hinata? Hyuuga Hinata?"

" The more you dwell on it, " Iruka took the case and removed the disc. " the less time we have to put it to good use before my shift at the missions office. "

The disc was in the player and the first track queued up before Iruka finished speaking. Kakashi grinned wickedly as drilling bass filled the apartment.

" Shall we begin, beloved?"

_owari_


	3. Iruka's Hair

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

- I got a bug up my butt during thesis class and couldn't concentrate on lecture, so I wrote this instead. Sorry it's so short:(

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- '_Genma wonders briefly when Iruka will grow tired of taking care of such beautiful hair and hack it off to a more manageable length. He'll miss it if the teenager does decide to cut it. ' _BSK, Ch.2: Raidou's Autumn. This was my prompt.

- This occurs several weeks after the break mentioned in TI: One Year Ago: Part 2. If you haven't read TI go read it right now! that's when Iruka leaves Mizuki and he breaks a week later. Iruka is nineteen-years-old.

- Enough of my babbling !

**Warnings: **Nothing really, pretty safe. Some shounen-ai, implied.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Iruka's Hair**

Raidou was reflected behind him in the bathroom mirror, scarred features pulled into a confused look, hand reaching out tentatively towards the dark silk cascading down Iruka's bare back. The dolphin knew something of a fuss was going to be made over his decision. _Still...better Raidou than Genma._

" You want me to cut your hair?" Raidou asked again, his fingers barely touching the ends that hung below the man's rear. He was obviously bewildered, as though Iruka had asked him to cut off one of his arms or legs instead of his hair _which would grow back_.

_It'll grow back. If I don't like it, it will grow back. Eventually. _Iruka had been convincing himself of these things for the better part of a month, the same things he was going to have to convince his closest friends to believe. He could do it, he had to. " It'll grow back, Rai." Iruka spoke to the man's reflection.

The older man didn't sound convinced. " But, why? Is this because of what happened between you and Mizuki?"

" Partly." The teenager responded quietly. Raidou had hit upon the catalyst; the blow out with his lover and the subsequent breakdown had spurred his thinking in the direction of change. Iruka didn't want to be the same person who struggled for so many years in a volatile relationship, the boy who cried at every little injustice, the shinobi unwilling to cease his clinging to the past. And for Iruka an outward change would help to solidify his inner change. However he didn't want to go into all that at the moment. Maybe later when he wasn't on the brink of chickening out.

So he gave his friend safer reasons for his sudden interest in a haircut. " But, really Raidou, I only grew it out this long so I could be more convincing as a female during undercover missions and since I hit my last growth spurt, I'm too bulky to do that anymore, at least not for close encounters. Naruto can't keep from messing with it whenever it's down and I can't keep it tied up all the time because the weight gives me a headache. Aaaaaand... since I started teaching full time, it just gets in the way. The kids pull on it and grab it with their sticky fingers and it's just a pain. " Iruka fingered the pair of sewing shears sitting on the sink ledge. " Enyoji-san at the wig shop said he'd give me top dollar for it."

" Do you need money, 'Ruka-chan?" The tokujo's voice was immediately filled with concern, his dark eyes flashing in the overly white bathroom illumination. He placed a large hand on Iruka's shoulder, under the silky strands.

Iruka took a moment to appreciate the slight difference in their skin tones. Raidou was a more golden tan color, Iruka a slightly darker caramel brown. When they were wrestling around with Genma in the heat of the summer, naked bodies splashing like children in the lake, the senbon shinobi looked like the marshmallow crème smooshed between two pieces of cinnamon toast. Iruka shook his head, at the image and at the older man's question. " No more than usual, besides, that's not why I want to do this. I just happened to run into him at the market and he mentioned he was interested if I ever decided to cut it." He turned around to face the tokujo, sable eyes begging for understanding and compliance.

" Genma is not going to be happy about this." Raidou's frown softened into a look of regret, of sorrow. He apparently sensed Iruka's unspoken need. The hand on the teenager's shoulder slid down to entangle in the soft hair, pulling all the way through to the ends, as though committing the texture to memory.

Iruka leaned his head forward, feeling the tug and pull of Raidou's fingers. " That's why I'm asking you." He drew in an anticipatory breath.

An endless pause. " Okay. How much do you want cut off?"

Iruka released the air he had been holding hostage, a tremble coursing up and down his frame. Dark lashes shut, he heard the slide of metal on porcelain as the shears were taken from the sink. Iruka handed a hair band over his shoulder. " Little below shoulder length. I need to be able to pull it up. "

He felt the band being tightened, pulling his hair into a low tail, then it was moved down until it hit the middle of his shoulder blades. The sound of metal on metal, the scissors opening wide. Iruka opened his eyes, glancing up through his lashes. Raidou had stopped. The dolphin couldn't see what was going on behind his back, but he could see the hesitation and some unknown emotion in the mirror image of his friend's eyes. Then it was gone and the shears schnicked their way through the thick tresses, just above the hair tie.

Both men began to breathe normally again.

_owari_


	4. Kakashi's Spring

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

- For ffpanda:) best of health!!!

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This occurs several months after the events of TI.

**Warnings: **Coarse language, shounen-ai, sad stuff, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Kakashi's Spring**

Iruka is frightened. He jogs through the streets of Konoha at a hurried pace, just on the border of running, except he won't run because that would be unseemly, and people are already staring at him. Most likely due to his state of undress. Also, running would give reason to his feelings of anxiety and utter fear. _It's nothing. He's okay. It's nothing. He's okay. _His bare feet tread mercilessly upon the delicate pink blossoms littering the ground. Sakura season is in full bloom. The early morning air is light from gentle sunshine and slightly moist from night time rain, the trees are verdant and snowing rose tinted petals with every breeze. Iruka couldn't have asked for a more perfect spring morning.

Except for catching Pakkun dragging one of his ivory bed sheets out of his apartment window.

Iruka knew something was wrong when he walked back into his bedroom, toothbrush still being vigorously worked over his molars, and saw the wrinkled ball of brown fur struggling with the oversized piece of cloth on his third story window ledge. He would have found the sight amusing if it wasn't for his heart stuttering to a stand still at the ninken's appearance. Beady black eyes had widened at the sight of the brunette. Pakkun dropped the sheet, damp paw and mouth prints standing out on the light material, and leapt from the sill into a nearby tree. Iruka dropped his toothbrush, foamy paste flying everywhere, and followed him through the window in nothing more than his thin cotton boxers and sleeveless undershirt. Indeed, something was very wrong.

Actually he had known something was wrong before the dog tried to steal his bed clothes. He did not know what that ' something ' was, but it had been haunting him for five days; coincidentally, it had started the same day that Kakashi was supposed to return from a two week long B-rank mission. His unease simply grew with each sunset that passed without the jounin's appearance. _It's nothing. He's okay. _ A familiar mantra that had gotten him through many a long night and day while Kakashi was away from Konoha and his bed.

He wishes it would work for him now as he jogs through the winding alleys, chasing after the ninken, ratty bed sheet bundled under one arm.

Kakashi being late was to be expected, although since officially beginning their relationship he had been less late than usual; one hour instead of three, three days instead of a week, a small improvement but an improvement nonetheless and Iruka is grateful for those little blessings. Normally, Iruka wouldn't worry himself into such a state. They are shinobi and he understands the risks, besides, worrying never helped anyone. So Iruka found it odd that he was unable to shake the ominous feelings creeping into his thoughts the past week.

But now it makes perfect sense to the brunette. _I've probably been picking up on the bastard's chakra, here and there, and it's been screwing with my mind, sensing his presence but knowing he wasn't here. Except that apparently he **is** here, which means one of two things. He's either a lying-fucking-bastard-son-of-a-bitch who's going to have his ass beaten for not letting me know that he's back and he's alive or ..._Iruka shivers forcefully and he is not sure if it is from the chill wind grazing his exposed skin or the dark thoughts swamping his heart. He rubs at his burning eyes with the back of his hand, then wipes away the remaining flecks of toothpaste infused saliva from his mouth and chin. _... something's happened to him. Kami-sama, please, just let him be a lying-fucking -bastard-son-of-a-bitch. _

Very few people are out and about in the back streets on this beautiful Sunday morning and the chuunin is thankful; the ones he has encountered so far have not moved out of his way swift enough and have stared rather rudely. Most of the villagers that are taking advantage of the weather are on the main roads, filling the marketplaces or heading into the forest for picnics and games. Iruka hears their talk and laughter as he passes between the buildings, his eyes focused on the fleeing tail end of his lover's canine summon. He is certain Pakkun is moving at a slower rate than usual, he knows the ninken could easily leave him behind especially at the bare foot pace Iruka is going. _It's like he wants me to follow him. _And as though the dog can hear the brunette's inner thoughts, he pauses at the top of a fence, casting a glance back at the sensei. _Little bugger is waiting for me. _ Iruka speeds up, disregarding the cold sting of the rough wet road beneath his feet. Pakkun jumps from the wooden posts onto the other side. Iruka springs up and over the ancient piece of fencing. And lands in a puddle of muddy water.

" Shit." Iruka mutters as the cold liquid splashes up his naked legs, dampening the edges of his boxers. He is running again before the scattered droplets return to the puddle's surface. Another familiar landmark passes the dolphin by and it confirms his thoughts/fears that they are heading towards Kakashi's apartment on the other side of Konoha. Iruka could curse himself for not insisting that the jounin move in with him two months ago when the subject came up. At the time, he had wanted to give the silver haired man his space and plenty of time to become accustomed to the idea of being in a committed relationship. Now Iruka wishes that he had just thrown a crying fit and guilt-tripped his lover into sharing an apartment; maybe then Kakashi wouldn't have had a place of his own to hide from Iruka.

Abandoning his earlier reserve and throwing caution to the wind, Iruka pushes chakra into his feet and legs and overtakes the ninken. Neither one bothers to speak as they run side by side.

They reach the jounin's housing complex within moments and Iruka skids to a halt on the wet walkway, colliding with the firmly shut front door as Pakkun disappears in a puff of smoke just before he would have met the same fate. Panting heavily, the chuunin rubs a finger over his facial scar, clearing away some of the dew and sweat and centering himself before attempting a teleportation; Kakashi's front door stays locked because the jounin never uses it, preferring his window. His hands form the signs and he opens his eyes on the other side of the closed door, only to stare in trepidation at the massive wolf hound lounging in the entry way. Enormous fangs are bared and keen gray eyes narrow at Iruka. Pakkun is nowhere to be seen.

" Uh, nice doggy?"

Hackles rise with the deep throated growl and claws click on the wooden floor. The dog takes a step forward, muzzle inching towards the supposed intruder. Iruka readies himself for an attack, running several defenses through his mind trying to find one that won't injure the summon too much, or result him losing a limb. The dog stops its progress and aggressively sniffs the air. Iruka feels a cold wet nose pressing into his open palm, then it is gone and the wolfhound returns back to his guard post, curling into a ball and huffing as he rests his head on outstretched paws. Iruka exhales as well and sidesteps the mountain of gray fur. Chakra flares in the next room, towards the back of the flat. Iruka can differentiate five separate sources, all similar to each other and agonizingly familiar; the largest one flickering weakly. He leaves a trail of muddy footprints as he makes his way to the bedroom, barely taking note of the apartment's bland interior.

He opens the bedroom door and is instantly assaulted by a combination of smells, most predominately wet dog and stale vomit. Iruka stands just outside the room not daring to breathe much less enter. Off white walls, bare floor, tall dresser, desk, bed, bed, bed... Hot sweaty memories wash over Iruka as he recalls what happened in this very room less than three weeks prior. _He called it a going away present, to get him through. _Deliciously obscene phantoms flash before his eyes before his mind processes the sloppy state of the bedding. The futon has been dragged halfway off its frame, all the sheets, blankets and pillows gone. There are items of clothing and bedding spilling out of the dresser and open closet. The room seems to have been ransacked. A standard issue jounin uniform, dirty and abused, is scattered across the room. Some pieces look as though they were thrown hard into the walls, laying crumpled against the baseboard. Other pieces appear to have been torn from their owner's body, long uneven rips leaving the soiled fabric in shreds. On the heels of this observation there is a snuffling from the far corner of the room.

Iruka crosses the space cautiously, still uncertain as to his situation. As he skirts around the disheveled bed a mound of blankets and dogs comes into view. The chuunin recognizes the missing bed clothes and pillows piled into the corner with Pakkun and three other summons resting among the sheets. The dogs sniff the air, grasping Iruka's essence for their identification. Pakkun keeps his eyes on the folds of material and Iruka makes out a set of grimy fingers peeking out from underneath the cotton. He immediately falls to his knees, crawling until he reaches the unkempt mess that is his lover's huddled form. His own bed sheet is still clenched in his brown hand. The dogs silently make their exit.

The dolphin oh so carefully lifts the dozen or so blankets and has to stifle a choked sob as he uncovers a very dirty Kakashi. The jounin is curled on his side and wedged as far into the corner as the many layers of cotton, wool and linen will allow. Kakashi cringes in his sleep, whimpering and shrinking into a tighter ball, as though the sunlight is causing him physical harm. He is smeared with dirt and grime and dark maroon that is flaking off onto the light colored sheets, then reconstituting with his sweat and tears and soiling his pale skin once more. Iruka can see mottled bruising beneath the filth.

" He's not seriously injured." Pakkun speaks quietly, barely above a whisper. " Otherwise we would have dragged the brat to the hospital when we reached Konoha." The little pug backs away, allowing the dark man to get closer to the unconscious scarecrow. " We've managed to force some water down his throat each day, but I know he needs more. Last time this happened, he nearly died of dehydration. Would have if I hadn't gone to get the Third Hokage."

The dolphin stares in shock as he realizes exactly what he is seeing. _Kakashi's breaking. _They hadn't really talked about Kakashi's method for breaking, the conversation always steered away before Iruka could glean much information. The chuunin knew that the older man had broken numerous times since becoming a shinobi, most of the breaks occurred while he was an active member of ANBU and he hadn't broken in five years. Iruka never learned the specifics involved.

" He didn't want you to see him like this." Pakkun continues, droopy eyes moving to Iruka's face. His gruff words voice the unasked question." But he kept calling your name, wouldn't settle down. I was afraid he was going to work himself into a fever so I thought..." The pug directs his gaze to the rumpled sheet in Iruka's hand. "... it smells like you, so I thought it might help. "

Iruka is listening because he knows what Pakkun is saying is important, but his mind is still absorbing the sight of his lover. He has seen Kakashi in various states of distress and injury, yet nothing he has seen compares to the utter vulnerability that is etched into every line of the muscular body. _Oh, 'Kashi love. _He sees the goose bumps prickling the pale flesh, an uncontrollable shiver racking the man's frame. Iruka replaces the blankets, only keeping the man's head uncovered.

Kakashi whimpers again, tiny and pained and more than Iruka can take. Brown fingers card into the dirty hair and lovingly stroke through the lank strands of silver. He is vaguely aware of Pakkun heading towards the bedroom door and the door closing quietly behind his curly tail.

It's just Iruka and Kakashi now.

" 'Kashi love." Dark eyes follow the chiseled jaw line, sweeping over the chapped lips and along the vertical scar. He does not expect the man to respond, though there is a twitching near his eye, Iruka simply feels the need to say the endearment out loud. The dolphin wonders if this is how Raidou feels when Genma breaks twice a year, how Genma felt when Raidou broke that one and only time , how they both feel when he breaks at odd intervals; helpless, frightened, alone. It is an overwhelming cacophony of emotion that thrums in his ears in time with the beating of his heart.

Forcing his hands to move, Iruka gently wipes some of the filth from Kakashi's face with the edge of his clean sheet. He notices pale streaks in the grime, tear tracks dried on the soft skin. Iruka is relieved to find the other man free of fever. The jounin flinches with every touch, becoming more and more restless under the blankets, but he does not awaken. Tan hands drop the soiled cotton. Iruka watches as Kakashi's head jerks slightly, brow furrowed, in some dream induced panic. Pale fingers claw at the quilt.

Iruka wants to cry. He wants to scream at the world that treats them so unfairly. He wants to find every lowlife that ever raised a hand to the jounin and personally torture them until they die a slow, agonizing death. He wants to lay down beside his lover and wrap him in a warm, protective embrace. Instead, Iruka shifts into his sensei mindset, taking responsible actions for a distraught student.

The bedroom window is opened, the soiled clothing picked up from the floor, the days old vomit cleaned from the toilet and bathroom floor. Iruka does all these things with a steady hand. The dogs look up questioningly when he leaves the bedroom and enters the kitchen in search of any liquid the jounin may be able to drink. Iruka settles on juice from the fridge, hoping the man will benefit from the extra nutrients. He'll try water a little later on.

Back by Kakashi's side, Iruka eases the man's head up, speaking softly as he nudges the slack mouth with the rim of the glass. " Come on, love. I need you to drink this. I need you to swallow. " _I need you to look at me! I need you to say my name! _ Iruka's mind screams in futility. The jounin moans and tries to move away from the proffered cup, eyes cracking open. Stormy gray and ruby red peep from underneath silver lashes, but they are glassy and unfocused. " It's just me, 'Kashi love. Your 'Ruka-chan. Now drink the juice before I hold your nose and force it down your throat. "

A flicker of awareness. Cracked lips open further and allow the orange liquid to pour into his mouth. Kakashi swallows with difficulty, his throat obviously dry and sore from disuse. He finishes half the glass.

A tanned thumb gently brushes away the juice trickling down the jounin's face, spilling from his now moistened lips. Iruka watches as the tension leaves the battered body below him, Kakashi's eyes slipping shut once more, a deep sigh escaping him.

" Beloved..."

Iruka rests the silver head back onto the rumpled pillow and sets the glass on the nearby dresser. He stares down at his lover now fast asleep and looking much better than when he first arrived. _ I'm very scared right now, 'Kashi, but I promise I'm going to stay here with you. And I swear if you ever try to do this shit alone again..._ Iruka smothers the sob struggling in the back of his throat, sniffing loudly and pressing a hand firmly against his closed eyes. He is suddenly very tired.

The dolphin pulls one of the loose covers from the haphazard pile and arranges it beside the larger mound, his own sheet added to create a makeshift futon. Iruka curls up on the wrinkled material, scooting as close to the jounin as he can without literally crawling on top of him. _We're going to take a nap, then we are going to have a talk when we wake up. _ Another blanket is tugged over his scantily clad form and Iruka pushes his hands beneath Kakashi's blankets to take hold of the scarecrow's cool hands.

Outside, a bird sings a cheeky little tune amidst the sakura scented branches. The older man mumbles something incoherent in his sleep. Iruka noses his way onto the jounin's pillow, the tips of their noses just touching. Sable lashes fall shut and warm breath mingles between them.

_You're safe now, love._

_owari..._


	5. Mizuki's Last

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This event is mentioned in TI: One Year Ago, Pt.2 and Along the Way: Scars and Iruka's Hair.

- I know I've fudged on some character ages, but for this Iruka is nineteen and Naruto is eight ( in TI: OYA2 Raidou mentions Naruto as being 5, I'm going with 8 now)

- Usagi - Rabbit. ANBU designation. Can you guess who Usagi is:)

**Warnings: **Coarse language, sexual dialogue/language, shounen-ai, violence, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Mizuki's Last**

" What the fuck are these?!"

" I can't see them when you're waving them around like that."

" What. The. Fuck. Are. These?"

Iruka didn't even blink as the handful of papers was thrown into his face. He waited patiently until Mizuki had stalked towards the other end of the living room and the last rectangular missile fell to the wooden floor, then Iruka bent down to retrieve what appeared to be 5x7 black and white photographs. Upon closer inspection the dolphin recognized the pictures taken at the annual chuunin-jounin orgy last week; the ones of him and Genma, dressed only in their jeans (which were unbuttoned and unzipped), engaging in every sexual act known to man, with the exception of actual cock-mouth-ass penetration. Though there were plenty vignettes with the two of them giving mock performances of those particular scenarios. Iruka placed the photos in a neat stack behind him on the kitchen counter

" Answer me, Iruka!" Mizuki shouted.

" They are exactly what you see, Mizuki. " Iruka slumped further against the bar that divided his main room into kitchen and living areas. Brown fingers curled around the counter edge, elbows bent to take more of the chuunin's weight. The brunette had spent the better part of his morning sparring with Naruto, Gai-sensei and Lee-kun and he was beyond exhausted. Konoha's Beautiful Beast and his young protege had even managed to wear down the endlessly energetic blond boy; Naruto had gone straight to his room and collapsed on his futon still wearing his dirty clothes. He looked so sweet, Iruka hadn't had the heart to wake him up and make him bathe.

Iruka sighed heavily, running a hand through his shower damp hair and down over his sleeveless undershirt, scratching idly at his stomach. He shifted on his feet causing his loose drawstring pants to dip lower on his hips. The silver haired man was still fuming on the other side of the room, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Iruka brought his attention back to the chuunin storming around in his apartment. He was glad the fatigue was blunting the edge of his normally oversensitive emotions. Iruka wanted to approach this argument a bit on the jaded side. " We didn't actually have sex, if that's what you were wanting to know."

" How could you do this?!" Mizuki spat . He stomped back across the small space, arms swinging in wild gestures of fury. Platinum hair moved in conjunction with his arms. " We were working things out and you-" He sputtered and stalked across the room, again. " You just-"

" I'm sorry about this." Iruka apologized. He kept his voice calm and collected, a counterpoint to Mizuki's harsh screams. Brown eyes swept over the chuunin's appearance. Mizuki had only just returned from a mission, his uniform dusty from the summertime roads, a few stray leaves caught in his tangled hair. It looked as though it hadn't been the easiest time for him. " About how this turned out."

Mizuki didn't seem to hear him. He pointed at the photographs laying innocently on the counter. " This is what I found when I turned in my report at the missions office. Aoba and Anko were practically jerking off to them behind the desk!"

Iruka was briefly worried about the two chuunin mentioned, hoping Mizuki hadn't become violent with them. _ No, not even Mizuki is stupid enough to assault a shinobi in the Hokage's Tower. _The dolphin looked the other man steadily in the face. " I am very sorry that this is how you learned about it. I was going to tell you when you returned and could have talked over dinner. "

" This happened before I left!"

" Exactly. I didn't want to have a fight before you left on a mission."

There was an odd flicker of emotion in Mizuki's gray eyes and Iruka recognized it as hope. He knew that the man was scheming up a way to use the brunette's easy going personality and dislike of hurting others to his own twisted advantage. Mizuki turned away from Iruka for a few moments, his voice a mere fraction of its earlier volume and vehemence. " I'm sorry, Iruka. I shouldn't have raised my voice."

" It's understandable. Again, I'm sorry it happened this way." Iruka repeated, his words weighted with sincerity. Mizuki was his childhood friend, his once lover, and he really _truly_ cared about the silver headed man. He kept his guard up, however; Mizuki had always been self centered and manipulative. Just a couple of the reasons the younger man had decided to officially end their intimate relationship. Iruka's gaze never left the older man's figure.

" I just thought that we had made some progress, you know..." Mizuki released a deep sigh, shoulders hunching forward. " I thought that I had proved myself to you these past few months. I thought it had gotten better. "

Iruka mimicked the sigh. " It has been better, " _...but not good enough..._" but it simply isn't going to work out between us. We weren't meant to be more than good friends." Dark hair slid into his eyes, the strands slipping out of his sloppy ponytail and falling forward. Mizuki had barged in before he'd had a chance to brush through the ridiculously long tresses. " And I do want to be friends, Mizuki. Nothing will ever change that."

" It's Genma isn't it? I always knew he wanted y-"

" This isn't about Genma or Raidou or Anko or Hayate or Bachiko or anyone else that you're convinced is trying to take me away from you. " A bit of irritation slipped into Iruka's voice. It was an old, tired argument and he was going to make sure that it was the last. " No one is taking me away from you...I'm the one doing the leaving. " Iruka made himself -not -flinch as he said the words. He hated having to be so harsh. _ But, I hate being miserable with him even more. _" I'm sorry."

Mizuki seemed to shrink further in on himself, one hand reaching out to the front window sill to support his body. Iruka noticed the slight tremor run down the man's back and felt his steel resolve begin to melt. _Please, don't cry, Zuki-chan. _The little inner voice pleaded in its childish tone, his heart aching for his friend. Iruka pushed off from the counter and approached the taller man. _Sometimes, he looks so much younger than his twenty years. Sometimes, he looks like he did when we were kids; scared and alone. _

Iruka thought back over the years, from meeting Mizuki on the playground to competing in the chuunin exams to their first kiss. Then he recalled memories of the past three years, from Mizuki's infidelities to the near constant fighting to the complete loss of trust and intimacy. _I hardly remember a time when Mizuki wasn't in my life in one way or another, but I have to do this for myself and for Naruto. Even if it means losing the friend I've had for so long. _ Caramel colored arms looped around the older man's waist, Iruka's chin lifting to rest on Mizuki's shoulder.

" Are you s-sure about this?" Mizuki's voice was quiet, a tiny hitch to his words.

The dolphin turned the man around in his embrace and tightened his hold. A tender kiss was placed on the silver temple and the sensei wiped away the beginnings of tears. " I am, Zuki-chan." Iruka fell back into their childhood monikers. " I need you as a friend, not a lover. And I if you step back and really think it over, you'll see that you need the same thing. " The brunette was relieved that the other man was taking it so well. Iruka had expected a full blown war to erupt, had actually planned on it; he had even arranged for Genma to watch Naruto that night to keep the little boy away from the dispute. _Maybe Mizuki has grown up, maybe he really has changed for the bet- _He felt the larger man moving, bringing a hand between their bodies, fingers brushing against the low neck line of the dolphin's shirt, caressing the spot above his heart.

" I love you, Ru-Ru." Mizuki whispered into the dark crown.

The kunai cut rather deeply into Iruka's chest before he could react. Shock and surprise flooded through the chuunin's mind as pain and blood swept through his body. Leaping back, Iruka slapped a hand over the wound and fought the urge to throw up as his fingers sunk into the open gash. " M-Mizuki?" He stumbled back further, pressing his body against the kitchen bar. Blood poured down the front of his white undershirt.

Crimson also ran down the blade onto the silver haired man's hand and arm. Mizuki stared at it, seemingly fascinated by the warm rivulets.

Iruka had broken out into a cold sweat, the hurt and blood loss reacting quickly with the already present fatigue, causing the young man to sway on his feet. He watched as the other man's gaze finally came back to him. " What are you doing Mizuki?" Iruka stifled a hiss of pain. A thin line of saliva dribbled down his chin.

" You broke my heart, Ru-Ru. It's only fair that I cut yours out so you feel the same as me. "

_He's lost his fuckin' mind. _Iruka didn't have time to ponder the chuunin's mental state further as Mizuki lunged forward with the kunai. The dolphin blocked on instinct, but was lifted from the ground and thrown into the far wall for his efforts. He heard a dull crack as his body left a sizeable dent in the plaster and his left hand was smashed by the impact. The breath was knocked out of him, blood continued to gush from his chest wound. Iruka forced himself to his feet just in time to meet Mizuki's next head long rush.

Chakra flowed into his arms and legs, absorbing the blow and pushing back. His injured hand went numb. Mizuki went flying into the kitchen wall, landing on the counter before rolling to his feet and sending a destructive wave of chakra into the same wall. The windows above the sink blew out, glass shattering and catching the sunlight as dust and debris plumed into the air. Iruka clutched at his aching chest with his still functioning right hand. _I should have grabbed some explosive tags as soon as he came through the door. I can't even form hand seals now. DAMNIT!!! _Mizuki came for him again.

_I'm not going to be getting back my security deposit. I wonder if that's the bloodloss talking? _Iruka managed to send the man completely through the front wall of his apartment, spurring his moment of financial mourning. Chunks of plaster and splintered timber rained down from the top of the gaping hole, the brunette choking on the thick clouds of dust. He cast a glance around his flat; two walls were utterly destroyed, the shared living room/bedroom wall was damaged beyond repair, most of his furniture was going to have to be replaced if not professionally cleaned. _I just bought that coffee table. _

Mizuki materialized directly in front of him and Iruka had to wonder if maybe he'd just sent a shadow clone needlessly through his apartment wall. _Mizuki owes me my deposit. _The dolphin dropped to the floor and kicked out. It worked and the chuunin was knocked to the ground. Unfortunately, he fell on top of Iruka. A wrestling match ensued with Iruka doing his damndest to keep the blade from opening his skin again. The wooden floor was slick with spilled blood, making it hard for both men to gain any leverage. Mizuki drew strength from being in a crazed state, while Iruka slowly weakened due to his injury and his simple bone tired exhaustion. And because he had yet to overcome the shock of such a betrayal. _When did this happen? How did it come to this? _

Mizuki had always been aggressive, always ready for things to get physical. Iruka had initially been drawn to that aspect. Mizuki had always been a bit unreliable, a tad unstable. Iruka had thought that with encouragement and a steady relationship the older man would leave those immature traits behind. Mizuki had always been the one to take. Iruka had thought he had enough to give for the both of them.

Time eventually brought the dolphin's mistake to light. Three years had passed since the two young men began a 'serious' relationship and Iruka couldn't deny that things had been rough from the get-go, slowly deteriorating into an on again/off again routine of heated arguments and frantic make-up sex. But there had been moments of pure sweetness, of infinite love, that had caused the teenager to hang on during the darkest times and caused him to weep now for what was lost.

But he had never imagined this particular scenario playing out, never dreamed that Mizuki would take it so far.

" How c-could you do this to me , Iruka!" Mizuki ground out between his attempts to drive the blade through the smaller man's chest. Tears and spittle dripped onto the brunette's face. The tip invaded the wound again.

Iruka screamed as the kunai was pushed into his flesh and hit the breastbone. Once the initial flare of agony leveled out he gathered enough to breath to speak in a halting whisper. " Mi-Mizuki... don't do-do this- Ahhhhhhgh!" The kunai was twisted, renewing the pain. _Just kill me. I'm so **tired** of all this shit. I'm tired of struggling and fighting and crying and losing everyone I love and having to go on and being the strong one and... I just want it all to end. _Iruka allowed the weapon to sink a little more into his body, allowed Mizuki's weight to overpower him. He screwed his eyes shut.

In that flash of mind searing torment and self pity, an image of Naruto ,sleeping peacefully in the next room ( though only the gods knew how) , floated into his thoughts. _Naruto._ Rage slowly began to build in Iruka's stomach and spread throughout his body like hot spikes of chakra. Other snapshot flashes of the small Kyuubi container fueled his resolve; Naruto as a toddler, Naruto in the bath, Naruto on the swings..._Naruto needs me. _ Shaking fingers, brown skin hidden beneath slick crimson, wrapped around the pale hands trying to pierce the dolphin's heart. The arm burdened by the broken hand braced itself against the chuunin's neck.

" NO, MIZUKI!!!" And Iruka began to push back.

Only, suddenly, the crushing force lessened a fraction. Dark eyes carefully cracked open and then widened at the sight. Two ANBU masks hovered above him, one on either side of Mizuki's grimacing face. Oushi had the silver headed chuunin in a headlock, Usagi had both hands locked onto the chuunin's arms, keeping Mizuki from pressing down with the weapon. They were still unable to pull the crazed man away.

" Need a little help, Gai-sensei!" Oushi called out, his voice muffled by the porcelain mask.

Usagi remained silent, his arms trembling from the strain.

" OF COURSE, MY ESTEEMED SHINOBI!" Gai-sensei's voice boomed within the chaotic flat, the very vibrations causing more rubble to come crashing down.

Iruka watched in a daze as his senpai loomed above the others, bright teeth flashing overly white. The smile morphed into manly tears when the jounin caught Iruka's current situation. " OH MY DEAREST IRUKA-SENSEI! HOLD FAST TO YOUR YOUTH AND FEAR NOT! FOR WE ARE HERE TO-"

" Just get Mizuki off of him!" Usagi interrupted, words clipped and irritated, his sentence ending with a harsh coughing fit that somehow didn't lessen his death grip on the chuunin.

The large green clad shinobi hastily bent down to add his own hands to Mizuki's arms and, with the other two men, haltingly pulled the kunai away from the dolphin's broken body. Once Mizuki was secured in Gai-sensei's iron like hold, Oushi stepped in front of the silver haired man, blocking Iruka's view. They appeared to be having a conversation of sorts.

Usagi began to probe the brunette's body with gentle fingers, coughs interspersed with his words. " Iruka-sensei cough how badly cough cough are you hurt? cough"

" Naruto!" Iruka hacked out between weak gasps for air, matching the ANBU's difficulty in breathing. He was swiftly losing the fight to stay conscious now that help had arrived, but he had to make sure..." Ch-check on N-naruto!"

" I've got him!" Another man's voice came from what was left of the hallway. " I've got Naruto."

Iruka cut his eyes to the right and saw Sarutobi Asuma holding Naruto close to his chest. The blonde boy was snoring like a bear.

_He really was worn out. _Iruka was aware that he was smiling at the rabbit mask as his vision blurred and melted into obsidian. Naruto's snoring, Genma's threatening rumble and Mizuki's pained screams softened until there was nothing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Two months later..._

" You cut your hair."

" I needed a change."

Iruka sat next to Mizuki at the wooden picnic table, making sure to keep an arm's length between himself and his ex-lover. A jounin lounged casually in the lower branches of a nearby tree, happily munching away on his onigiri as he pretended to not be guarding the silver headed chuunin or carefully watching the exchange with the dolphin. Iruka recognized him as one of Genma's friends, Benjiro. He waved at the jounin before turning his attention back to his seat mate.

Mizuki was staring into the distance, open bento box hardly touched on the table. The older man had lifted weary gray eyes when Iruka approached him on the academy training grounds, surprise then fear then shame washing over his features. The comment about the sensei's hair had been awkward. His following words were less so. " It looks good. You look good."

" Thank you. " Iruka replied simply. He ran his dark gaze over the other man. Mizuki had stripped down to his dark undershirt and uniform pants in the late summer heat, exposing his pale skin. Iruka could see the light tinge of pink that indicated the beginnings of a sunburn.

Iruka mentally ticked off the list of injuries Mizuki had received two months prior and how they had healed up. The dolphin knew that Oushi had worked over the chuunin before allowing Gai-sensei to take him to an ANBU holding cell. Genma refused to tell him exactly what he had done, but Iruka had managed to sweet talk the medic on duty in Mizuki's ward, promising her a night of drinks and dancing in exchange for the chuunin's charts. A low gasp and furrowed brow had displayed the teacher's disapproval; the silver haired man had arrived at the medical holding cell with two shattered hands, several broken ribs, a fractured ankle and more cuts and bruises than the staff could count. A day later the man had sustained severe damage to his throat and windpipe which nearly ended Mizuki's life. Genma had told him to forget about it. Raidou wouldn't discuss it.

Everything seemed to have mended well. There was a tiny raised line on Mizuki's chin, but he didn't appear to be having any difficulty with his hands or the injured leg. Iruka was glad for that. His own injuries had been healed quickly and efficiently, only the mark on his chest leaving a scar. " I see they're sending you back out on missions."

" They're not missions, they're D-ranks. It's community service." Mizuki shot a look at Benjiro who had moved on to a skewer of dango. " Maximum security community service." He picked up a piece of tempura from his bento and pushed the box towards Iruka in an offering. " I know I have you to thank for that, though"

" I didn't want you to be sent to prison. You're a good shinobi, the village needs you." Iruka selected a slice of melon. He had fought tooth and nail to keep the silver haired chuunin out of the detention center, calling in numerous favors, cajoling officials and even pleading with Sandaime. " How are your sessions going?"

" The usual. They just want to make sure that _that _never happens again"

Psych therapy was a large part of the chuunin's sentence, as Iruka had gotten Mizuki's punishment significantly reduced. If the authorities had gone by the accounts of the ANBU and jounin who were there and the testimonies of Iruka's closest friends who had watched the couple's behavior over the years, then Mizuki would have been thrown away for a very long time for the attempted murder of a fellow Leaf shinobi and endangering his foster child. Instead, Iruka's pleadings had gotten the incident labeled as a 'Break'. Even though it was well documented that Mizuki's breaks consisted of a twenty-four hour down period followed by a crying jag, not slicing up his lover.

Everyone grudgingly agreed to look the other way for the well respected academy sensei. Of course, among the ones who knew the facts, Mizuki became a social pariah.

Otherwise the chuunin was simply restricted to low level, local missions and mandatory anger management/post traumatic stress therapy sessions each week. The typical regimen for recently broken shinobi. Iruka looked over the training field where the silver haired man had been mowing the grass. Mizuki had trimmed the borders, weeded the flowerbeds and had planted a row of sunflowers against the building right next to Iruka's classroom window. Iruka smiled. " I'm sure you're doing well. You seem to like these missions, even if they are "D-rank maximum security community service" ."

" I've always liked the academy. And it's not a bad break from the usual life-or-death missions. " Gray eyes crinkled slightly at the corners, then closed as he downed half a bottle of cold water in one gulp. " I can put in some pansies around your window come autumn, if you'd like."

" Actually, no." Sable lashes flirted with the other man. Iruka watched as his friend slumped a bit, the small amount of joy that had returned to his eyes dulling back into shame. He waited to see the finale of the man's reaction.

Mizuki looked down at his water bottle, dirt stained fingers idly picking at the plastic label. " Oh, that's okay. I understand. " He looked like a kicked puppy. " Do- do you want me to move the sunflowers?"

Iruka savored the moment before speaking. " I'd think you'd like to look at them this fall when you're helping me with the six-year-old classes."

Platinum hair swung sharply with the pointed face, gray eyes wide. " What?"

" I've requested that you be assigned to my class as my assistant teacher. And I received the approval today. " Iruka grinned broadly, his joy blatantly displayed for all to see. " So if you're going to plant anything, it'll have to be on your own time."

Mizuki stared at his friend, mouth gaping in speechless amazement. " 'Ru-'Ru, you mean I- I can-" He cut himself off, lunging forward and swallowing the brunette in a bear hug. The sobs began almost immediately. " I'm so sorry Iruka! So sorry! Thank you! Thank you for not giving up on me!"

Iruka laughed out loud, gesturing towards the startled Benjiro that he was okay, and patted the silver haired chuunin on the back, rocking slightly with the larger form. " You're my best friend, Zuki-chan. I'll never give up on you."

And Iruka knew everything would be alright.

_owari..._


	6. CDs: Part 2

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This takes place a week after CDs.

- I was reading back through some of the previous stories and I realized that I hadn't mentioned Mizuki in regards to Iruka's music collection. So, I felt the need to do something about it. And it gave me a much needed break from my homework XD

**Warnings: ** Little bit of coarse language, some shounen-ai, etc. Pretty tame really.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Figured You Out belongs to Nickelback.

**CDs: Part 2**

Kakashi was going to be in _soooooo_ much trouble if he was caught.

The jounin had come across a small cardboard box during his cleaning endeavors the previous week and Iruka had taken it out of his hands before Kakashi had a chance to even read the black marker scrawls on its top. The dolphin had been casual about it, citing some scraps of his childhood that would hold no interest for Kakashi, and stuffing it behind the audio cleaning supplies.

So naturally the scarecrow hadn't been able to stop thinking about the damn thing and the first chance he got Kakashi snuck back into Iruka's apartment while the chuunin was teaching his classes.

Kakashi made his way to the entertainment system, raising his hitai-ate to check the shelving with his sharingan; being sneaky made him doubly paranoid. _No traps, not that there ever have been traps, but... you never know. _ It sounded lame even in his own head, but he was too close to sweet satisfaction to care how uncool he was being. He knelt in front of the large shelving unit, wooden floor hard and unforgiving under his knees. Nothing was out of order within the media and Kakashi was proud of his chuunin for keeping it so neat; he wondered how long it would last.

The boxes of specialized CDs were bypassed, Kakashi's hand unwavering in its pursuit of the forbidden fruit._ "Ruka didn't say I couldn't see it, just that I probably wouldn't care to. _He was rationalizing, dear kami he was rationalizing and that was never a good thing. The far left hand door was opened, rows of cleaning supplies pushed to the side. Kakashi 's fingertips found the box by braille in the dark space and pulled it into the light of day.

It was nothing special. A plain, non descript cardboard box, about the size of four stacked bentos. Bits of tape hung off at odd angles, some of the kanji ripped off with the top layer of brown paper, as though it had been opened and sealed numerous times until the final strip of tape was adhered. It looked to be several years since anyone had seen inside the box. _Tape's yellowed, marker's faded and - well here's a date. That takes out the guess work. _ Black script dated the box's last opening as six years prior. Warnings marched across every surface , ' Do Not Open' and 'It's Over' and a simple yet expressive ' NO!!!' directly on top. Similar labels were discovered among the older writings, along with what appeared to be a name that had been scribbled over until it was no longer legible.

_These aren't warnings for other people. These are things Iruka put on the box to keep himself from opening it, like someone putting a note on a box of chocolates during their diet. Except whatever's in this box is more damaging than a few bon bons. _Kakashi once again exposed Obito's eye and checked the box for any traps. It was clean, nothing more complicated than industrial strength adhesive strips.

The jounin produced a thin blade from his flak vest and carefully pulled it along the seam where the two flaps met underneath the tape. There was the satisfying sound of a clean tear followed by two more swift cuts to the sides of the box. Kakashi drew in a deep breath through his masked nose. _ Okay, this is it..._ He eased the flaps open, revealing the box's precious contents.

" ' Mizuki: Remember' ". A CD stared back at the silver haired man, sitting directly underneath the box top, kanji glaring darkly from the cover. Kakashi picked the disc up and turned it over in his gloved hands. The case looked heavily used; scratches, chips, smudges covering the plastic square. _Now that I think about it, I never found any ' Mizuki' CDs in Iruka's other boxes. I guess I just didn't want to think about him having any type of ... connection... with my little dolphin. _Kakashi popped the case open and placed the disc into the bottom most player. Then he moved on to the rest of the box's interior. The first chords of music were vaguely familiar and Kakashi hummed quietly as he rifled through the various items.

// I like your pants around your feet...And I like the dirt that's on your knees  
And I like the way you still say please...While you're looking up at me  
You're like my favorite damn disease...// 

A stack of photographs was handled with care. Mizuki and Iruka together at the academy, picnicking at the lake, training, dancing at a party of some sort, another party... The happy faces grinned at the jounin, Iruka's bright genuine smile and Mizuki's cocky smirk. Candids and posed, color and black and white, all the pictures displayed domestic contentment. Kakashi continued to flip through the happy memories until he came to the bottom of the stack, separated by a rubber band. The band was removed and the shinobi was studying a set of black and whites that he recognized as Raidou's unique photojournalistic style. _That man should be transferred to our Intelligence Section. Ibiki would love to have someone with his abilities. _Kakashi went through the pile slowly, taking his time with each image.

// And I love the places that we go... And I love the people that you know  
And I love the way you can't say no...Too many long lines in a row  
I love the powder on your nose...// 

Unlike the first set of pictures that showed a lovey dovey couple without a care in the world, there were no smiles in this second group. Most seemed to have been taken at different social functions and obviously without the subjects' knowledge. Iruka and Mizuki arguing at a sensei party, arguing at a jounin-chuunin party, arguing at a picnic by the lake, another jounin-chuunin party... Kakashi paused as a wave of fury pounded through his blood; one photo, apparently taken at a nightclub, had captured Mizuki grabbing Iruka by the wrist in a show of angered possession while he screamed into the brunette's face. It was quickly placed at the bottom of the stack. The next string of 5x7s seemed to have been taken at a large official shinobi function, most likely a political dinner for some visiting dignitary. The last image was very telling. Iruka and Mizuki sat close together, side by side, at a formally laid table, the white linens a stark contrast against their dark uniforms. The close up showed every detail of their expressions. Mizuki's head was turned away from Iruka, his eyes focused on the table, somewhere between his plate and his neighbor's. He looked as though he were barely restraining his anger. Iruka's face was also turned in the opposite direction of his lover, his sable eyes looking off into the distance. His face clearly displayed a resigned unhappiness.

While the image lacked the belligerent tone that permeated the others, it was much more disheartening to the jounin. _So young, and already willing to settle on being miserable for his foreseeable future. _

The pictures were placed back into their rubber restraint and set to the side, though Kakashi took a few more moments to look fondly at a 'happy' photo of Iruka with his long hair unbound and falling around his face. The jounin contemplated ripping it in half to rid the image of a grinning Mizuki standing beside the dolphin, but decided that would definitely be overstepping his bounds. He wasn't even supposed to be touching this box ; much less ripping apart the photos inside. Kakashi made a mental note of the background and approximate age of the Iruka in the picture and promised himself that he would ask Raidou if he had any other photos of the same occasion. _Preferably of just Iruka. Maybe swimming at the lake...naked... Wait! Back on track, back on track! But, there was that one of him in a yukata at matsuri-gyah! Stop thinking with the smaller head, damnit!!! _He glanced at the wall clock. _I've got less than half an hour before 'Ruka comes home. I have to get through all this stuff before he gets here. ( And it's not small, thankyouverymuch)._ Kakashi's inner voice snapped back at him and he wondered if he was getting that much closer to Sakura's level of schizophrenia.

// I like the freckles on your chest... And I like the way you like me best  
And I like the way you're not impressed...While you put me to the test  
I like the white stains on your dress...// 

_These lyrics are a little rough for Iruka. _Kakashi pushed the questionable lyrics to the back of his mind as he plundered the box further. His poking fingers discovered another banded stack of goods, this time old and faded ticket stubs. The colors had dulled with time and handling, but the silver haired shinobi was still able to make out the typed labels of movie theaters and festival booths. _Quite the nostalgic one, aren't we Beloved. _A folded square of cloth was next. Kakashi fingered the soft material, admiring its pattern of ivory colored wheat stalks on an obsidian background. He guessed it to be from a formal kimono. Lifting it to his face, the jounin lowered his mask to sniff the dusty fabric; it smelled vaguely of Iruka's soap, but mostly of dust and cardboard.

// And I love the way you pass the check...And I love the good times that you wreck  
And I love your lack of self-respect...While you passed out on the deck  
I love my hands around your neck...//

_Now, that is definitely too rough for my Iruka. _Kakashi glanced up at the player, single eye narrowed as though the electronic device was at fault for the type of music flowing from the speakers. _But, I guess it suits what I've heard of Mizuki's personality. Bastard treated Iruka terrib-OW!!! _His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden prick to his naked finger. Kakashi jerked his hand from the box and brought the injured digit to light. A tiny dot of bright crimson stood out on his left ring finger; he stuck it into his mouth and searched for the culprit. He found an earring sticking out of the bottom of the box, half hidden by a coiled braid of silver hair.

Kakashi tugged the piece of jewelry free and examined its unusual shape as he tried to remember if he had ever seen piercing scars on Iruka's ears. It was a shuriken, about the size of his thumbnail, its edges razor sharp and dangerous. _You could actually do some damage with this, if used properly. Maybe it was used undercover. _Kakashi admired the workmanship, it was obviously an expensive piece with high quality engravings spiraling from the center.

// And now I know who you are...It wasn't that hard, just to figure you out  
(Now I did, you wonder why)  
And now I know who you are...It wasn't that hard, just to figure you out...//

The shuriken was exchanged for a glittering silver pendant minus a chain. This ornament was fashioned in the shape of a dolphin, its back arched gracefully. _Iruka arches his back just like this when I-Gyah! Can I go just five minutes without thinking about how to molest that delectable sweet ass chuu-_ Kakashi dropped the sea creature back into the box and rushed to find something else to distract him from his hentai thoughts. A smooth stone tumbled into view, its blue colored surface cool beneath his fingers. Dried flowers were wrapped in a sheet of folded paper, faded kanji scrawled across its yellowing front. The silver haired man was careful of the delicate blossoms; a black-eyed susan, fringes of fernbrake, perfectly flat sakuras. He caught a few of the words written on the paper, decided it looked too much like some sort of love letter cum apology note from Mizuki and made himself not read the rest of it.

// I like your pants around your feet... And I like the dirt that's on your knees  
And I like the way you still say please...While you're looking up at me  
You're like my favorite damn disease...//

_I wish I knew more about Iruka. _Kakashi mused to himself. _I did learn a lot from Raidou and Genma. Hell, Genma just blurts things out half the time, much to 'Ruka's disapproval. Though Iruka doesn't seem bothered when I ask him things, but there are just some things..._ The jounin tended to skirt around what he considered intense subjects, like Iruka's past relationships. In fact, that was the only subject he didn't broach openly and Iruka rarely ever spoke of them. The brunette had no problem regaling Kakashi with anecdotes of his childhood, without prompting, happy memories of his deceased parents and friends lost in battle. Iruka didn't appear to have any issues with discussing lost loved ones. But he never volunteered any information on his lovers, one night stands, boyfriends and girlfriends. Kakashi knew, thanks to Genma's big mouth, that Iruka had numerous partners when he was younger. _" The best lay in three countries", I believe were Genma's exact words. _A pair of Ichiraku hashi were moved to the side, a date written down the side of the wooden sticks along with ' Happy Birthday 'Ru-'Ru'.

// And I hate the places that we go... And I hate the people that you know  
And I hate the way you can't say no... Too many long lines in a row  
I hate the powder on your nose...//

_I don't want to open up old wounds; I know how painful that can be, but... _At the far end of the box sat seven CD cases, each labeled with the silver haired traitor's name. Kakashi tipped them forward, one by one, pondering over their content. _I feel like there's a side to him he's afraid to show me. _ He opened the first case and furrowed his brow. The CD was shattered. It was still in its circular indentation, but the prismatic disc had been broken into at least a dozen jagged puzzle pieces. _And I don't want to push him. _ Kakashi closed the case and moved on the next one. The jounin found a similar pattern of hairline fractures throughout the CD. One by one, Kakashi cracked open the plastic cases only to find broken pieces.

// And now I know who you are...It wasn't that hard, just to figure you out  
(Now I did, you wonder why)  
And now I know who you are...It wasn't that hard, just to figure you out  
(Now I did, you wonder why)  
(Why not before, you never tried)  
(Gone for good, and this is it)...//

Kakashi held the last case in his hands, staring at the carefully contained mess of shards, his tortuous thoughts rumbling inside his head. The player clicked quietly as the song came to an end. The jounin listened as the equipment continued to hum ,but no music came forth. Absently, his hand reached out and pushed the advance button to jump to the next track. Nothing happened. He pushed it again. Silence. Slight irritation set in and Kakashi tore his gray gaze away from his lap to glare at the player. The monitor had the correct number displayed, but nothing was playing. Kakashi jumped from track to track, watching the numbers flicker onto the screen, until he reached the last in the queue and was directed back to the first song. Apparently the first and only song on the ex-lover's last disc. Kakashi sat silently as the same notes filtered through the speakers once more, nearly covering the sound of the front door opening. The jounin jerked his head up to see the exasperated expression marring the beautifully tanned face of his beloved.

_I want to know everything about him. _

_owari_


	7. Chance Encounter

**Author's Notes**

- This little bit o' stuff is for Gcbella, one of my wonderful reviewers who needs to leave an email address so I can respond to reviews!!! ( leave me your email address!)

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This is part of the TI universe:)

- Iruka is 16 years old, Kakashi and Mizuki are 18 or so. I'm fairly loose with their ages. I know I should be more consistent, I'm trying, I swear :)

- Inu- Dog or Hound. ANBU designation.

**Warnings: ** Coarse language, shounen-ai...

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Gift for Gcbella; Hope you like this ' Kakashi rescues Iruka from Mizuki' story!

**Chance Encounter**

Konoha was unusually peaceful, which was the only reason Kakashi had heard the shouts in the first place. He'd been returning home ( _not home, just my flat where I keep my stuff which just happens to be located in Konoha) _ from a routine infiltrate/obtain info/assassinate ANBU level mission, running along the roof tops at only half speed due to a sprained ankle, when the raised voices cut through the otherwise silent nighttime air. Kakashi's ears pricked at the tone.

He skidded to a halt on the curved tiles, his fingertips catching on the very edge of the gutter system. The porcelain Inu mask tilted to one side, then the other. Harsh voices were emanating from the fourth story window of the building he had just leapt from. His single gray eye glimpsed shadowy figures in the darkened room beyond the window glass. The jounin couldn't make out too many details in the dim illumination, but he saw what appeared to be the ornately embroidered sleeve of a furisode and exceptionally long locks of hair flitting in and out of the moonlight. _It's just a couple fighting. None of my business. _ Kakashi shivered as a chill autumn breeze swept over his bared arms; he had yet to figure out why the ANBU uniforms weren't made to cover and protect as much skin as possible. He considered it asinine, but he wore the sleeveless high necked shirts anyway. _I should have brought my cloak. _ Silver hair whipped across the face plate as the wind picked up and the shinobi made ready to jump to the next building.

Just as he was about to push more chakra into his feet, and re-enforce his injured ankle, the shouts grew in volume and Kakashi could feel the chakra flaring from the apartment. _Shit, they're shinobi. _ Kakashi glanced at the surrounding area and saw that he was indeed in the middle of the chuunin bachelor apartments. When he'd first heard the shouting he had convinced himself that it was a civilian couple arguing and all he had to do was alert the nearest patrol unit that there was a domestic disturbance that needed to be checked out. But, if two shinobi were involved, and both were at least of chuunin level, then it could get very ugly, very quickly. And the collateral damage could be ridiculous. _I don't want to get into the middle of a lovers' spat. _Kakashi stretched his senses and found no trace of a patrol, although the chakra flares from the window were increasing with the volume. _I'll just wait a few minutes and listen until the patrol comes back around. I can break it up if it gets out of hand. _ He moved to the edge of the roof, giving him a better view of the apartment window. Angry words filtered through the window panes.

" No...drinking again... zuki, I'm tired of this..."

" 'Ru... please can't... ucking slut... you'd better ge..."

" ...sleep at 'Ko's place... I'm getti..."

_I'm pretty sure they're both men's voices. _Kakashi recognized the low timbres of the shouts. Gay couples weren't anything new in Konoha or the shinobi ranks, and there was no negative stigma attached to same sex relationships. The only reason the ANBU captain noted it all was because the sex of one's opponent could give information on weak points. Such as the groin area. And Kakashi was just tired and irritated enough to really want to kick someone in the groin. _It would make the most satisfying thud. And they'll get that look on their face, intense pain and shock and the thought that they'll never be able to get it up again will flicker in their eyes..._

There was a shout of pain and a curse, accompanied by loud crashes. Something had been broken in the flat. Kakashi watched as the shadows flailed in front of the window, one of the chakra signatures fluttering. _Shit! Injury! _The jounin cloaked his chakra, left the roof top and landed soundlessly in a tree branch right outside the window. Kakashi reached for the latch, only to be brought up short by the apartment door being flung open and a disgruntled shinobi being thrown into the exterior hallway. Peering around the corner, the ANBU caught sight of a young man, medium build, silver hair. The chuunin appeared to be no older than Kakashi and was disgustingly inebriated. He was barely able to walk upright, yet somehow managed to make it to the door and pummel the old wood with his fists. Kakashi leaned closer to the window and looked inside the flat. The other figure was leaning against the door, frame jerking with every punch to the other side of the wooden barrier. The teenager made out the flowing lines of a furisode falling open and a hand gripped to the opposite upper arm.

" Stup'd bastard! Open 'is door, righ' now!"

_He's going to wake the entire block. _Kakashi had had enough of the other man's drunken shouts and the effects they were having on the person still inside the flat. Gritting his teeth against the sudden wrenching pain in his ankle, Kakashi abandoned the tree and landed in a cat-like crouch on the iron railing.

The chuunin was so out of it, he didn't even notice the masked shinobi glaring at him from a few meters away. " 'Ru, godsdamnit!!! Let me-"

Kakashi didn't even bother to mask his presence any longer; in fact he released a wave of fury filled chakra directly towards the loud mouth. The chuunin spun around at the invasive presence and then slumped forward, mouth open in a silent scream. Withdrawing his fist from the shinobi's groin, Kakashi gave the man ( _hardly, he may even be younger than me, and he sure as hell isn't acting like a man...stupid drunk ) _a shove towards the stairwell, wordlessly commanding him to leave. The chuunin glared, but stumbled away.

_Stupid fuc-_ He had been too pissed off and the scent of cheap sake had been too strong before to notice the cloying fragrance of fresh blood. An image of the shaking figure braced against the door flooded his mind. Kakashi knocked lightly on the worn surface. " ANBU." His voice, though muffled by both his cloth mask and the porcelain face plate, was crisp and clear.

The door immediately opened. " Yes, Inu-sama. May I help you?"

_Kami-sama he's just a kid! _The boy standing in the dark rectangular frame couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen in Kakashi's opinion, but the expression on his face was as world weary as his own. The slender body showed signs of just beginning to broaden in the shoulders and, if not for the lack of breasts and the deeper voice, the ANBU would have thought he was staring at a young girl. The jounin took in the brunette's costume in a single calculating glance. It was indeed a long sleeved kimono, the ends laying in a pool of moon light displaying black and ivory chrysanthemums scattered over a vermilion background. Basic black utilities were underneath the rich fabric, the pants slung low across narrow hips, bandages wrapped tightly around his midsection. His chest was bare. Dark hair was caught in a loose tail and hung over one shoulder to stream to his waist. The rounded face was heavily made up in geisha style, the white substance a stark contrast to his tan skin even in the dark of night. The ruby pucker drawn on his lips had been smeared across his cheek, leaving a red trail too reminiscent of - " Are you bleeding?" Kakashi remembered the reason he was checking up on the boy.

The chuunin (_has to be a chuunin to have been able to throw out that jackass) _tightened his grip on his right bicep, trickles of near-black staining the material beneath his fingers. His voice remained perfectly poised. " I'm fine, Inu-sama. I just returned from a mission, but my injuries are slight. I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

_Polite. Almost frighteningly so. _Kakashi tilted his head, his gesture similar to his actual canine counterpart. " Are you sure? " _ Why am I still here? He said he's fine!_

" Yes, it doesn't require stitches. " The younger teen shifted on his feet, his kohl rimmed eyes casting downward. There seemed to be a darker shadow running across his nose, just beneath the make-up. " He's just drunk, nothing I haven't dealt with before. I apologize for his behavior."

" You're not responsible for him. He's old enough to be accountable."

" Of course, Inu-sama."

Kakashi wanted to leave. He could practically hear his futon calling his name. _He's fine, he's old enough to take care of himself, he's a fucking shinobi. He's fine! _ The jounin nodded at his own inner monologue, yet continued to linger on the doorstep. " Make sure you see a med-nin. "

The kid's entire face changed, a smile erasing the unhappy look and blinding Kakashi in its sincerity. " Of course, Inu-sama. Thank you."

Kakashi nodded once more and turned from the door. He stepped onto the railing, listened to the sound of the door shutting behind him, and flung himself back into the night.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Years later..._

Kakashi turned from the window that he had been absently staring out of for at least half an hour, and directed his single eye towards his golden skinned lover grading papers across the room. " I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Iruka snickered and pushed a stack of book reports to his right. A pile of jutsu tests was set in the center of the coffee table. " I was asking about dinner, but what are you thinking about that's more important than listening to me?"

The ex-ANBU smiled softly beneath his mask, the memory's details solidifying in his mind. " Did you ever own a vermilion furisode?"

_owari._


	8. Some Things Stay the Same

-1**Author's Notes**

- This is for SMK:)

- Thanks to everyone who's stayed with me so far!

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This is a companion piece/ sequel for Things Change ( Iruka/Sasuke). You don't have to read Things Change, but this would make a lot more sense if you read that first.

**Warnings: **Shounen-ai, LIGHT YAOI...

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

For SMK: Iruka/Kakashi after Things Change

**Some Things Stay the Same...**

" So, are you going to tell me what happened?"

" Why? It was nothing you'd be interested in. "

" Awww, come on."

Iruka stretched his legs, bringing one foot to hang over the edge of the tub, water dripping onto the tiled bathroom floor. He never regretted splurging on a large tub, it had more than made up for its price tag. _Sweet, sweet relief... _ Iruka smiled contently over the pale shoulder and down the muscular body until it disappeared beneath the sudsy surface, the jounin resting against the dolphin's chest as they lay in the hot bathwater. It had been something of a long day. Rain pitter pattered on the steamed up bathroom window and created a soothing backdrop for the couple's peaceful moment.

Iruka's voice was light and teasing and he mentally chuckled at Kakashi's whiny protest. " Isn't it enough for you to know that Sasuke has overcome another barrier into adulthood and that he and Naruto are going to be pursuing a relationship?"

The damp silver hair flopped across Iruka's face, dragging along his scar, before his lover's face was turned towards him. A beautiful pout tugged at his full lips. " No." Kakashi answered in a petulant tone.

" Quite the busybody, aren't we? " Iruka chuckled. He removed the slight itch left behind by Kakashi's locks and placed his hand back on top of his husband's chest. The jounin was absently playing with the golden skinned appendages resting just below his chin, touching and stroking and occasionally kissing the broad palms and scarred backs and pruny fingers. _We've been in here for some time. I'm getting wrinkly. _Iruka freely allowed the silver haired man to pet him whenever he saw fit; Kakashi had become extremely tactile after his love song confession several years ago. The chuunin assumed it to be a more intimate version of an injury check, Kakashi just wanting to assure himself that Iruka was safe and whole. It always warmed the chuunin's heart when his husband fell into the little habit.

" I can't help but be curious, 'Ruka." The soft voice continued to be whiny, but it had lost any true irritation. " This morning we had a potential disaster on our hands named Uchiha Sasuke. He could have gone missing nin, again, or...worse." Kakashi's voice had dropped into a serious tone, his motions just as idle, in contrast to his tone.

" That won't happen again, 'Kashi." Iruka placed a kiss on the silver temple.

" It's always a possibility... " He lifted one hand to his mouth and began to leave a trail of tiny kisses down Iruka's first finger. " I really thought I might have to track him down, again."

Iruka tightened his hold on the taller man, leaning his head forward to nose into the silver hair. " Well, it didn't come to that and with Naruto's continued influence, it never will."

" So how did you do it?" Kakashi had regained his petulant note. " We started off with a disaster and ended with two lovey dovey teenagers. How did you manage that?"

" Oh, please do not let Sasuke hear you call him lovey dovey. "

" What's wrong with that? That's what we are." Kakashi tilted his head back to give the chuunin a peck on the nose, before going back to his finger fondling.

Iruka laughed softly and went back to resting his cheek on the top of the damp crown. " We are a different entity altogether, love. But, really, if you must know what happened... " _Well, Sasuke said he was going to tell Naruto, and with that boy's mouth it won't be long before 'Kashi knows. " ..._Sasuke confessed that he had feelings for me, which I was already aware of, he kissed me and then ran off to find Naruto. "

The pale hands froze. " He **kissed **you?!"

Iruka didn't add anything, waiting for Kakashi's reaction to continue.

" **He kissed you**?!" Water splashed over the sides of the tub as the jounin rolled over and Iruka was faced by wide mismatched eyes. Kakashi's arms wrapped around the chuunin's back , pulling them chest to stomach. His face was glowing with joyfully wicked glee. " Did you kiss him back? Was there any tongue? Was it hot?"

" See, this is why I didn't want to tell you." Iruka rolled his eyes and swept a stray lock of hair from his scarred nose, a brown finger doing the same for silver. He watched the bubbles roiling on the surface of the bathwater and tried to ignore the pleasant way Kakashi was pressing against his body. " I knew you would turn this into one of your perverted fantasies. "

" You can't deny that Sasuke's a pretty little emo boy."

" 'Kashi-"

" I bet it was so hot. "

" 'Kashi-"

" But, seriously," Kakashi once again dropped back into his somber tone of voice. All the playfulness was gone from his expression. " , what happened?"

Iruka sighed deeply and carded his fingers through the silver strands. He gazed lovingly at his husband as he spoke. " Sasuke confronted the fact that the crush he's had on me for all these years was just that, a crush. He kissed me, he kissed all those feelings, that part of his past, good-bye. " Iruka remembered the soft press of lips and smiled. The jounin appeared thoughtful as Iruka went on. " And, yes, I kissed him back. He needed me to reciprocate, to accept his decision. "

" Did you enjoy it?"

" It was exceptionally sweet." Iruka said in his quiet voice, smile still pulling at the corners of his mouth. _I see no reason to lie. It was so innocent. _

" Kiss _me_ like that." Kakashi cocked his head to one side and leaned forward. His hands smoothed along Iruka's back under the water.

" No." Before the jounin could pull another pout, Iruka cupped the finely chiseled face in his hands, one thumb gently stroking the moist lips, smearing a line of suds over the porcelain flesh. " It was a farewell kiss. I don't ever want to kiss you farewell."

Silence seemed to hang in the air as heavily as the steam from the tub. Iruka watched as the tension in the other man's body smoothed into a mirroring smile and the jounin nearly melted on top of him. Silver hair moved upwards until the two shinobi were face to face, gray and crimson gazing intently into sable.

" Beloved."

" Love."

Their lips met in perfect unison and Iruka sank a little further into the tub, hot water crawling up his shoulders to wet his hair, strong arms curling around the other man.

_Never good-bye, 'Kashi love. _


	9. Not the Best of Times

-1**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

- This is just something that popped into my mind while writing AtW: Some Things Stay the Same... ( where Iruka and Kakashi have been married for a couple of years) and held it hostage.

- I apologize beforehand for this story.

- And for anyone who's interested, I have the first chapter of a new KakaIru story posted somewhere else, the link is on my profile page. The following chapters will be posted here, but the first and last chapters are Explicit Smut and will be posted elsewhere. Thank you!

**Story Notes**

- This occurs approximately a year and a half after the events of TI.

- Osen no Jutsu- Contamination Jutsu

- Inu- Hound or Dog. ANBU designation.

- Ohitsuji- Ram. ANBU designation.

**Warnings: ANGST, AFTERMATH OF TORTURE AND RAPE, **coarse language, shounen-ai, sexual language, etc. ( i swear i love iruka...but his pain just makes for such good melodrama!)

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Not the Best of Times...**

Kakashi wasn't sure what he had expected to see when he and Raidou burst into the dirty little cell. What he found turned his blood to ice and the scene before him froze in his mind's eye.

The room was not overly large, perhaps six tatamis from one wall to the opposite side. It was bare concrete, rough and stained and dripping with tepid water; the result of Rain Country's debilitating summer weather. It smelled of decomposition. There was a dingy sink in one corner, an old worn table in another corner, and a dilapidated bed against the far wall. The metal frame was rusted to the point that the jounin wasn't sure how it was still standing. Chains hung around all four corners of the bed frame, connecting to metal bands that Kakashi recognized as specially made chakra draining cuffs.

Attached to the tortuous cuffs was Iruka.

The chuunin laid stomach down on the soiled mattress, hands cuffed together behind his back, chains running through the D links to the front bed corners. His ankles were also bound and chained to the frame. The beautiful golden body was ashen and covered in filth, burns and gashes and bruises creating a patchwork of bloody and broken flesh. The mattress and floor beneath him was heavily spattered with his bodily fluids. His long hair was as dirty as the rest of the room and chunks were missing, either crudely cut or torn out from the scalp. His head was turned towards the cell door, eyes nearly swollen shut, cracked lips parted slightly. Iruka seemed past the point of awareness as he didn't so much as flinch at the noise made by the iron door hitting the wall when the two ANBU entered.

Nor did he seem to notice the sweaty obese man straddling his back side, with his cock firmly driven into his battered body, two greasy hands wrapped around his neck in a stranglehold.

A ceiling leak dripped onto Kakashi's hitai-ate, slid off the metal plate and landed with a dull _plink_ into a puddle on the floor. Iruka's lashes fluttered slightly. Real time returned to the silver haired man and Kakashi's vision sharpened and narrowed to his lover's abused face. He moved without knowing it, his legs crossing the space, his hands grabbing fistfuls of the attacker's exquisite robes . The man hit the wall with a thud, then Raidou was on him; the Ohitsuji mask unable to hide the killing intent now present in the usually kind figure.

Kakashi's Inu mask trembled with his movements. He crouched beside the bed, hands hovering above the chakra cuffs, working on disabling the intricate locking mechanisms. He felt the cold metal hanging from his dog tag chain pressed between his chest and his skin tight ANBU top. " 'S'okay, 'Ruka. I'm here. It's alright." A constant stream of inane comforts spilled from his doubly masked mouth. " I'm here, Beloved. It's alright."

The sound of stifled screaming came from the other wall, Kakashi cast a glance towards its source. Raidou had effectively gagged and pinned the bloated mass that this particular syndicate of rebellious Rain nin called ' Boss' and had conjured up a fire jutsu that was slowly burning away the man's genitals. The man's beady little eyes widened and he struggled against the kunai piercing his robes and holding him to the wall. They didn't even have to try very hard to stay quiet; there hadn't been any guards anywhere on their floor and apparently sounds of pain were so commonplace during the leader's ' interrogation' sessions that no one bothered to investigate if someone did happen to be sauntering by. His muted grunts and the smell of burnt human flesh was satisfying to the Copy Nin. He turned his attention back to his lover.

Iruka was still in a daze, tiny whimpers escaping his dry lips. _ Self induced trance, basic torture survival technique, can last anywhere from hours to days at a time, longer trances are harder to recover from..._Kakashi's mind provided academia to keep himself focused, to keep himself from breaking down when Iruka needed him the most. The cuffs gave way, the jounin's fingers prying them away from the torn flesh of Iruka's wrists, the chuunin's arms fell lifelessly to his sides. Lonely gray swept over the man's prone figure, assessing the damage in his most professional manner. _Severe chakra depletion. Severe blood loss. Lacerations; mild to severe. Burns; mild to severe. Contusions; mild to severe. Broken bones; entire right arm, wrist, hand and fingers, left foot, several ribs, nose, possible collar bone, possible jaw. _ A quick look at the mattress between the dolphin's legs showed a pool of dried blood and semen. The fluids coated the insides of Iruka's thighs, as well. Kakashi swallowed the bile that had leapt into the back of his throat. _ Rape, aggravated, possible internal bleeding. _The whimpers turned into a fit of pathetic coughs, wracking the broken frame and causing more blood to leak onto the bed. " It's alright. It's alright..." _ Severe bruising on the throat, distinct hand and finger prints... dear kami, he was strangling him while he- he was going to kill him. If we'd shown up five minutes later... _" It's alright. It's alright. " Kakashi continued the mantra, though he knew it was more for his own sake.

Another choked scream. The jounin caught sight of a kunai handle being heated by another fire jutsu until it glowed white hot. Then Raidou began to insert the weapon. Kakashi smiled without mirth behind his mask. Despite their short time limit, Ohitsuji was drawing out the retribution, dragging out the agony. And Kakashi didn't blame him, would be helping him if he didn't have something more important to attend to. Genma hadn't been much better off than Iruka when he stumbled into a border patrol just inside Fire Country two days ago, babbling out the coordinates for the private warehouse where he and Iruka had been tortured for the past three weeks.

Inu and Ohitsuji were supposed to bring the man responsible in alive, the original mission parameters stated ' alive'; some personal grievance between nobility. But Inu knew the man wouldn't make it. Not after what he'd done to Genma and Iruka.

Kakashi had never seen Raidou look so bloodthirsty.

Iruka's continued silence and unresponsiveness deeply disturbed the jounin. Kakashi began a monologue, hoping to bring the man around. " Genma's fine. He got picked up by one of our border patrols. " Kakashi sniffled, reigning in the tears that were threatening at his lash line. He caught a whiff of something sickeningly sweet that had previously been overpowered by the room's stench. But this scent was localized to the chuunin, clinging to his person like a shroud. Kakashi carefully lifted Iruka's side, just enough to get a look at the man's front. Bile once again filled his mouth and the jounin swallowed it down. An open wound stretched across Iruka's belly, worse than his other injuries, festering and oozing and beginning to blacken in spots. _Gangrene. _" You two are impossible. Never should have sent you on a mission together. Probably got drunk and partied too hard, only reason you couldn't handle a few hundred Rain shinobi. " Much like the mantra, the light teasing was for his own benefit, though he hoped to every deity and demon in the heavens and under the earth that Iruka would laugh. " Ohitsuji and I took out one hundred and forty three apiece. " _Snuck in through the ventilation system. Bypassed the swarms of guards in the warehouse, kami-sama, at least a thousand shinobi in one place. A fucking army. _" And not a scratch on us. " _I need to send Pakkun to Tsunade-baaba with a scroll. Tell her about this little coup-in-the-making. _" You and Genma are getting soft in your old age." The ANBU eased his lover back flat onto the bed. _I have to get him out of here so Raidou can treat him or he's not..._

Kakashi watched a smile curve Iruka's mouth, breaking open the partially dried cuts. Then the chuunin went into convulsions.

Gloved hands gripped the dolphin's arms, mindful of the injuries there, and held Iruka to the mattress. Kakashi didn't even have the time to be afraid, his concentration focused on keeping Iruka on the bed. Though there was a sickening sense of deja' vu. _Don't panic, don't panic..._ Within a few short moments the tension left the chuunin's body and Kakashi released his arms in favor of checking his lover's vitals. The pulse was faint and growing fainter, his chakra levels nearly non existent.

The stifled screams were abruptly cut off. Kakashi heard a muffled thump and spared a look towards Raidou and the nobleman; except there was only Raidou standing over a lump of charred flesh and material on the floor. The ram mask stared blankly at the corpse for a moment before the ANBU ran through a sequence of hand signs and the lump was engulfed in a flare of chakra. When the light disappeared there was nothing left but some ashes on the concrete. Raidou abandoned the spot, striding over to his comrades. " We need to get him out of here."

As soon as the words had been spoken Iruka fell into convulsions once more. Kakashi pulled off a glove and forced it into the chuunin's mouth, Raidou held the man's legs. The fit lasted longer than the first and left Iruka wheezing pitifully. " He's not stable. And his chakra is growing weaker, which doesn't make sense; once the cuffs are off the body is supposed to continue its normal chakra productions." Kakashi laid a gentle hand on Iruka's forehead, pushing lank strands of brun away from the vacant eyes. _Come on, Namiashi. You're a certified med-nin, fix this!_

Raidou was silent, his own gloved hands hovering just above the soiled skin, traveling from Iruka's feet to his trembling head. Kakashi was slightly stunned when his teammate's face plate was pushed up, smoothing over the top of the wild brown spikes. A thin sheen of sweat had sprung up on the tan skin, the whorls of scar tissue glistening in the weak light. Eyes almost as dark as Iruka's were locked onto the shaking form. " I want you to listen to me very carefully, Kakashi-kun."

The boyish honorific twisted something inside Kakashi. Raidou never used it unless he were teasing or deadly serious. A pale hand slid the Inu mask to the side of his face, exposing his black mask and Leaf hitai-ate. Kakashi waited for the tokujo's diagnosis.

" 'Ruka-chan's blocking his own chakra centers, nothing is being produced and nothing can be introduced. " Raidou's hands found a spot on the fallen shinobi's back, just above his main life energy source. " I think he's been using the trance to strengthen his resistance to the osen no jutsu, that shit they used on Genma. "

Kakashi didn't miss the hard edge to the older man's words and his own breath stuttered in his throat at the jutsu's mentioning. When they had left Konoha twelve hours ago, Tsunade had still been hunched over Genma's hospital bed, doing her damnedest to draw the poisonous chakra streams from the senbon user's body. His agonized screams had echoed through the hallways as Kakashi and Raidou donned their retired masks.

_They tried to hurt Iruka that way. They nearly killed Genma with that jutsu and I know the only reason he was able to escape was because Iruka made it happen._

" He needs more chakra to stabilize, but I'll have to open the pathways to do a transfusion and we don't have the time to be gentle about it. It's painful and it won't be pretty." The scarred face remained stern and Kakashi had to admire the man's ability to hide his fear. And he knew the tokujo was afraid. " Once I start the process, his trance is going to deteriorate, he'll be confused. 'Ruka-chan's going to fight it, thinking we're enemies trying to break him. He'll try to shut down completely and that will kill him in this state. I need you to talk to him and ground him. Get him to focus on you so he'll release the barriers and I can repair the damage before he totally shuts off. "

Kakashi nodded and helped the other man roll Iruka onto his back. The belly wound showed itself to both men, a thin line of yellowish fluid tinted with pink flowed from one jagged edge onto the jounin's hand. Silver hair dipped forward as Kakashi leaned his upper body on the filthy mattress, wrapping his arms around the chuunin to hold him in place, one hand cradling the stained face.

" Also..." Raidou's soft voice spoke up, his palms lightly touching the ruined flesh just below his friend's ribs. " ... I know 'Ruka-chan. And I know he's using thoughts of you to fuel his trance, to center himself. You're going to have to fight with those dreams, prove to him that you're real and not just some self delusion. Are you ready?"

Kakashi tightened his hold on the dolphin and nodded. Raidou's hands began to glow softly.

The reaction was instantaneous.

Iruka bucked under the restraining arm and the probing hands. Hoarse screams erupted from the abused throat, the jounin's glove falling from his mouth. His neck strained back, exposing the finely corded muscles and Adam's apple, pulling against Kakashi's soothing hand.

" Talk to him, Kakashi-kun."

" 'Ruka, it's me. 'Kashi's here. I'm right here. " The jounin whispered fitfully. He pressed his mouth to his lover's forehead, muttering into the sodden locks of hair and sweaty skin. " Come on, 'Ruka. I'm right here." Kakashi watched as Raidou pushed his hands into the gash, forcing his life energy into Iruka's conduits. The younger brunette arched off the mattress, his unbroken hand clawing at Kakashi's arm. " Come on, 'Ruka, Beloved. It's 'Kashi."

" It's working, his barriers are weakening. " Raidou's words were steady, calm. " Keep calling his name. Talk about something happy. "

" What?"

" Happy, damnit ! Your first kiss, a great make-up fuck, where you're going to take him to dinner after this shit, whatever! Just get him to snap out of it !"

Kakashi swallowed thickly and searched for something that would bring a smile to the dolphin's beautiful face. " Uh, uh Iruka, when we get back to Konoha I'm going to take you out for sushi, you love sushi, and I'll buy everything on the menu and we'll have a couple bottles of sake and when we get home I'll run a bath and wash your hair and- " _ And I'll fall at your feet crying because I'm so fucking scared right now! _His throat began to swell and ache with the rising emotions.

" He's shutting down." A hint of panic seeped into Raidou's voice, his hands trembling with the exertion. " 'Kashi-kun, you have to talk to him."

_Oh shit, oh shit! _" Iruka, stay with me! Please, Beloved! It's me! "

The chuunin went into seizures, his body fighting the invasion, his mind closing down along with his life source.

" He's shutting down!" Sweat rolled down the hardened face.

" Don't Iruka! " _Oh kami-sama, please don't leave me! _Memories flashed before the jounin's mind's eye, his entire life broken down into small moments revolving around Iruka, or the lack thereof. _Don't! _Kakashi knew tears were leaking from his eyes, soaking into the fabric of his headband and mask. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and remembered the little metal circles that he had been dragging around his neck for the better part of two months. Fingernails scratched the black mask down, pushing between the snug fabric and the clammy skin, grabbing at the thin chain around his neck; it didn't matter that Raidou could see is unmasked face. Kakashi pulled his dog tags out from the safety of his uniform and held them in front of Iruka's contorted face. The matching rings glinted in the dingy light. " Iruka, I've had these swinging around my neck since your birthday party- and I'm sorry again about how the cake turned out- I was waiting for you to come back from this mission."

Another low pitched scream burst from Iruka's mouth, his nails leaving deep bloody furrows in Kakashi's arm. The jounin flinched, but not from the physical wounds. " I've got a house near the academy, the papers just need your signature. We can move in as soon as we get back. All you have to do is hold on and let us help you! "

" Shit!" Raidou cursed under his breath.

The silver haired shinobi managed to push the platinum rings into Iruka's palm, quickly closing his own over it and lacing their fingers together. He wanted the chuunin to feel the cold metal slowly heating between their flesh, to feel the solid form of the circles and his own hand. Kakashi's voice dropped to barely contained sobs, words spilling from his mouth as fast they would come to him. " We can have a huge wedding at the Hokage Tower with all our friends and Ino will arrange all the flowers and Kotetsu and Izumo will hang paper shuriken in the Great Hall! "

Blood and pus flowed freely from the horrible stomach injury, slicking the bottoms of Raidou's shaking hands. Iruka continued to writhe violently on the disgusting mattress, sounds of agony mixed with choking gasps.

" All the kids will be there; Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru, everyone! Raidou can give you away and Genma can be your bridesmaid and Ibiki will sing that mushy song from that movie you love! Asuma and Gai will be my best men and Anko and Kurenai will fight over the bouquet! "

The clasped hands shook between their faces. Kakashi's knuckles turning even whiter from the pressure being applied.

" Keep going, 'Kashi-kun!"

" We'll have the reception at our house, in the back yard, and Chouji's mother can make a twelve tier wedding cake decorated with little kunai made from marzipan! Tsunade-baaba can make a hilariously drunken toast and Shizune will try to pull her away from the mic and Gai will steal the mic anyway and make one of his ' Springtime of Youth' speeches! "

More heart wrenching moans issued from the chuunin, his battered body drawn so tightly he looked ready to shatter into a million pieces at any second.

" Don't stop, Kakashi-kun!" Raidou had tears in his own gentle eyes, the drops beading on his dark lashes.

" And we'll go to bed that night as partners, as mates, as husband and husband, and you'll wake up the next morning and the first thing you'll see is the fabulously handsome face of the man who loves you more than life itself , or even Icha Icha! "

Iruka began to jerk within Kakashi's embrace, his teeth clenched. The sable orbs rolled back and fluttered behind the swollen lids.

" It's not working! " Raidou's hands were crimson. He kept them steady on the shinobi's body. " He's closing off the conduits! He's using up the spot of chakra he had left to shut his systems down! Fuck!"

Kakashi stopped breathing, his heart stopped beating. He stared helplessly into the pained face. _No, no, no,nononononononooooooooooooooo!!! _Suddenly he was screaming at the top of his lungs, ignoring the streams of tears and spit and snot that were running down his face and disregarding the fact that they were still inside a warehouse full of enemy shinobi. All that mattered was Iruka hearing his voice. _" _I need you to stay with me, 'Ruka! I can't live without you anymore, I'm a selfish possessive bastard and you know that! I need you to stay with me forever!"

He buried his nose into the dirty crown of dark hair. " Beloved..."

The younger man fell limp. Iruka's body relaxed onto the bed, the fingers interwoven with Kakashi's slowly uncurled. The jounin glanced at the tokujo, whose hands slid away from his friend and lay useless in his lap. Raidou stared. Kakashi closed his eye.

Then there was a sharp intake of air, a simultaneous gasp from Kakashi and Raidou as Iruka sucked in vast amounts of oxygen, causing his chest to swell. Raidou yanked his hands back to the chuunin's center. He smiled after only a moment's study. " He's opened them back up! His chakra's coming back!" The brown hands glowed softly under the bloody mess.

Kakashi watched as his elder pumped his own life force into the dolphin's body, building his energy up to stabilize him for the trek home. Tan fingers gripped his hand, pressing the rings into the pale flesh. Looking down, Kakashi caught the dearly loved brown eyes focused on him. " 'Ruka? "

" G-gen...ma..." Iruka's dry throat wheezed.

" He's going to be fine, 'Ruka-chan." Raidou piped up, sniffing and smiling and near to hysterical laughter. " He's with Tsunade-sama. She's fixing him up."

" ...l-look...good in...p-pi-pink bridesmaid's...d-dress." One corner of Iruka's mouth twitched upwards.

Raidou nearly choked on a sob/chuckle. " We'll get you out of here in a minute, and then you can start planning out how many ruffles that bastard's gonna have to wear."

Kakashi lifted a shoulder and wiped away the excess moisture from his uncovered eye. _I almost fucking lost him again. How am I lucky enough to get him back? _ The silver hair wavered under his Inu mask as the jounin used their combined hands to stroke the bruised cheek, each motion a gesture of infinite tenderness.

" 'K-ka-shi love...bad timing...f-for proposal." The dry whispers ground out between the chapped lips. " But...y-your answer...is ' y-yes'."

Kakashi threw his head back and laughed through the tears.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

1.) _I made Raidou a certified med nin because... I needed him to be one. And honestly I would expect him to have a fair amount of medical training due to his rank , ANBU and bodyguard status, and his general personality ( wanting to help people). _

_2.) Yes, Kakashi is being something of an ass during his rambles on the wedding, ie: making Iruka the ' bride'. As per usual, Kakashi thinks that pissing Iruka off will get him the desired result, ie: Iruka snapping out of the trance and smacking him silly. _

_i cannot apologize enough for this story... _


	10. Prancing

**Author's Notes**

- This is for Alix:)

- I'm afraid it's a bit sloppy, but my brain is fried XD

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- This is a companion piece/ sequel for Along the Way: Ch.9- Not the Best of Times... You don't have to read NBT, but this would make a lot more sense if you read that first.

- This occurs two months after Not the Best of Times...

**Warnings: SAPSAPSAP ( AS IN, NOT ANGST) , **shounen-ai, coarse language...

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. ' The Very Thought of You' is from Natalie Cole.

For Alix and everyone else who was traumatized by my last chapter:) and there is a little sketch of Genma on my LJ, link is on my profile.

**Prancing**

" Genma's been in the bathroom a long time."

" Maybe he fell in."

The restaurant was overflowing with shinobi and civilians, but mostly shinobi, in various states of inebriation. The majority were just on the border of delightfully tipsy and smashed. Everyone else was simply smashed. Music was loud, but not overbearing, allowing for conversation between the partygoers. The large room was crowded with wooden tables and each one was crowded with smiles and laughter. It was one of the largest rehearsal dinners Konoha had seen in quite some time. And one of the most celebrated.

The room darkened a bit more, leaving only the dim lights above the bar and the bright spots aimed at the small karaoke stage. The current guitar solo faded into the empty hum of a quiet speaker. A hush fell over the audience.

" 'Kashi? " Iruka turned a slightly hazy gaze to his soon-to-be-husband sitting beside him at the festively draped table of honor. " Were you planning anything else?" He continued to finger the platinum ring hanging alongside his dog tags, the metal pieces centered on the caramel colored skin exposed by the open V of his collared button-up. Iruka was immensely happy that he had decided on the crimson short sleeved shirt to go with his dark jeans; the combined body heat of nearly a hundred villagers had made the venue a bit on the stuffy side. _Where the hell is Genma? He's been gone for over half an hour. _

" No." Kakashi tilted his masked face towards the chuunin, single gray eye completely unaffected by his hours of beer consumption. Iruka was jealous; he'd be using every jutsu known to man the next day to not look hungover at his own wedding. " As far as I know, Tsunade-baaba's toast was the last one for the night. Did someone finally imbibe enough liquid courage to make another toast? Or is Ibiki going to serenade us with another round of ' Unforgettable' ? I still can't believe Anko talked him into that. "

For the past two months the village of Konoha had been in a tizzy. While Iruka healed from his injuries ( the belly wound the only physical scar left, and Kakashi graced it with soothing kisses every night to ease the dolphin's nightmares) and Genma recovered his normal chakra operations ( he continuously escaped his hospital room to sit in Iruka's, Raidou often having to haul him bodily back to his own bed) , their close friends and family had been planning a wedding. Once the dolphin and the senbon sucker had rejoined the ranks ( three weeks for Iruka, four weeks for Genma who didn't practice his chakra exercises) the specifics of the ceremony were handed to Iruka and the responsibility for planning the rehearsal dinner had been given over to Genma.

But the real fun had been between Kakashi and Raidou who had decided to make the Copy Nin's marital vision come true; namely, the rehearsal dinner would contain all the entertaining aspects that would not be included within the actual wedding and reception ceremonies. And Iruka would be none the wiser.

The chuunin had laughed out loud at the sight of Kotetsu and Izumo hanging paper shuriken bigger than their heads when the group arrived at the popular restaurant earlier that evening. When he noticed Ibiki standing around the karaoke machine, he forced the two conspirators into confessing their plans for the evening. Genma had simply led him to the bar and poured a glass of whisky. Iruka had been on cloud nine the rest of the party.

And now, there was apparently another surprise in store for him. Before the dolphin could rack his alcohol fuzzed mind for an answer to the surprising set up, his long time friend stepped up onto the raised platform where their table stood to one side of the bar at the back of the room and took a seat next to him. Iruka turned his questioning glance towards Raidou and took a sip of his favored whiskey. " Rai-chan, do you know anything about this?"

Music floated from the large speakers, filling the space with sonorous notes, the old standard ringing familiar with the room's occupants.

Scar tissue puckered along the older brunette's face, his smile brilliant in the low light. Raidou threw an arm around Iruka's shoulders, his hand grasping Kakashi's shoulder on the other side. " Yes. Yes, I did." He craned his neck back to look at the silver haired man behind Iruka's head. " I tried to talk him out of it."

_Talk who outta what? _Iruka wondered briefly what his friend was talking about when a wolf whistle split the tense atmosphere and sable eyes focused on the velvet curtain to one side of the stage. " Oh. No."

It was...silky.

It was...frilly.

It was...pink.

It was... " Genma?" The name spilled from Iruka's lips along with a spray of expensive alcohol. He was vaguely aware of Kakashi leaning forward in his chair and lifting his black scarf to uncover his sharingan. Apparently the jounin couldn't accept the tokujo's presence on stage either. Or ,at least, couldn't accept what the tokujo was wearing.

Genma's creamy skin was draped in a rose colored confection of silk and ribbon, his muscular body outlined perfectly under the thin material, including the bulge between his legs. The floor length gown was covered in ruffles all the way to its bottom hem. The handsome face peeked around the red curtain, showing everyone that he still wore his signature hitai-ate, backwards and tied in the front. The lithe body moved fully out from behind the stage drapery, slinking in time to the music.

// The very thought of you and I forget to do... The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do... //

Glossy lips silently mouthed the recorded words, the female vocalist's song oddly fitting supposedly coming from Genma's mouth. The hazel eyes were lightly lined with kohl, just enough to make them stand out in a sultry fashion. Iruka was fairly certain the pink on his friend's cheeks was natural and not rouge. Genma carried a prop mic, caressing the handle with long fingers as his expressive face hovered above it. His nails were painted the exact same shade as his dress.

The audience, seeming to be in the same state of shock, suddenly snapped out of their quiet daze and shook the rafters with applause and shouts of encouragement. Genma nodded between the verses, smiling coyly. He reached the edge of the stage and paused, hand held out elegantly. Gai jumped towards the raised platform and took the proffered hand, helping the special jounin descend onto the main floor. The Green Beast of Konoha received a kiss on the cheek for his chivalry, the onlookers clapping and laughing at Gai's blushing face.

// I'm living in a kind of daydream... I'm happy as a king...//

" He's wearing a pink dress. " Iruka stated, his mind still trying to process what his eyes were seeing. _And he looks GOOD in it. _

He heard Kakashi's low murmur of approval near his ear. " That he is. I was kinda expecting a more humorous effect, honestly."

" Genma doesn't know how to do anything without making it into something sexual. Even humor. " Raidou was leaning back in his chair, arm still around Iruka's shoulders. " This is the first time I've seen him in it. It's-"

" Clingy. " Iruka finished, mouth slightly agape.

The chuunin watched as the spot light followed Genma as he floated to the closest table and sat on its top, careful of the drinks stationed there. Iruka couldn't suppress his laughter at the gawking expressions of the table's occupants; all former students. Genma leaned back on the elbow of the arm that was holding the microphone, his other hand trailing a finger along Shikamaru's chin, ending with a light tap to the sharp nose.

// And foolish though it may seem... To me that's everything //

The young genius raised an eyebrow and muttered something under his breath. Iruka was fairly certain it was " Troublesome". Neji and Lee were treated in a similar manner, the Hyuuga reacting in much the same way as Shikamaru and Lee adopting his sensei's knightly attitude by taking Genma's hand and placing a kiss on the back. The dolphin snickered as Sakura jerked her boyfriend back to her side, her inhumanly strong embrace keeping Lee in a possessive hold.

// The mere idea of you, the longing here for you..//

Genma pulled the hem of his dress up and kicked one long lean leg into the air. The tokujo was wearing standard issue boots and a black lace garter under the girly frock. Iruka could see a flash of what appeared to be a black thong. " Oh dear kami."

" Raidou, " Kakashi looked behind Iruka's head, the brunette still leaning forward to better see the show. The dolphin could hear the wry amusement in his lover's voice. " , how do you deal with that much enthusiasm for public display? "

" Hahaha, I just make sure he saves the best for me when we get home." Raidou chuckled and his hand moved on Iruka's shoulder, gesturing in some way. " Or the bathroom or behind the bar, you know, where ever's convenient. "

// You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you...//

Genma slid off the table and into Chouji's lap. The stout chuunin spluttered and held his hands in the air, making sure not to touch the older man in any inappropriate way. Chouji was saved from utter embarrassment by his lovely girlfriend, Hinata. Genma was pushed off of the Akimichi's lap by the pale eyed girl, who smiled teasingly as the tokujo leaned back over Chouji to peck her on the cheek before moving on.

The next table harbored several of the chuunin and jounin who flitted in and out of the missions room. Genma flirted with Aoba and Iwashi. Kotetsu grabbed the tokujo's ass and received a little dance for his efforts. Izumo nearly fell on the floor laughing. More slaps and kisses were exchanged before the man glided away, a finely boned hand sweeping over the shoulders of two more tables' occupants including Raidou's family. His younger brother started hyperventilating at Genma's attention.

// I see your face in every flower...Your eyes in stars above...//

Anko was already sitting in Ibiki's lap keeping Genma from claiming her man. There was a good natured slap fight and the older man turned to Asuma and Kurenai. The cigarette was taken from the bearded man's mouth and Genma almost had it to his lips when the ruby eyed woman flung her arms around his neck. Kurenai was obviously happy that someone had disposed of the tobacco stick. There was laughter throughout the room at the scene. Tenten and Ino cooed over Genma while he did his best to fluster the unflappable Shino.

// It's just the thought of you... The very thought of you, my love. //

The instrumental interlude began to play, freeing Genma's microphone wielding hand for a few moments. Iruka leaned slightly towards Kakashi, resting his head on the strong shoulder. A brown hand ran down the jounin's arm, bare below his t-shirt sleeves, and clasped the pale fingers. Kakashi planted a kiss on the dark crown.

Genma continued to make his rounds of the room, pausing at each table to flirt and play with the guests. He finally reached the table in front of the grooms' table where Naruto and Kiba were huddle among the many creatively wrapped gifts. Iruka had seen a couple of scrolls spread out between them, the two teens seriously discussing some event and drawing up the plans. All Iruka had been able to make out were the words " condoms" , " six dozen", and " cover the front yard". The sensei had decided to uncover their prank later, when he wasn't feeling so cozy.

Kiba immediately jumped from his seat and grabbed Genma around the waist, twirling the older man in a smooth execution of a waltz. He blatantly groped the muscular ass through the gauzy material and winked directly at Raidou as he did so. The Inuzuka had picked up where Genma and Iruka had left off in their crazed youth. Naruto tapped Kiba on the shoulder, cutting in. The tattooed teen released Genma in an elaborate twirl and laughed as the whiskered blonde caught the man and dipped him almost to the ground. Applause and chuckles swept over the room. The tokujo laughed along, grinning from ear to ear as he was swung back into a standing position. Naruto finished with a sloppy kiss on the mouth that caused Genma to swoon and fan himself as he approached the seats of honor.

// The mere idea of you, the longing here for you...//

Raidou played the gentleman and helped his husband onto the dais, lips brushing the offered hand and then pulling the pink shinobi into a loving embrace. Iruka knew the lyrics were now aimed directly at the older scarred brunette.

// You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you...//

The couple swayed in unison for a moment, before Raidou gave one last kiss and moved to the side. Genma's hand lingered on the broad shoulder, hazel eyes promising all sorts of delights. Then those intense laughing eyes turned on Iruka. The chuunin squawked as his friend walked behind him and ran his hand over his shoulders. _Oh crap, his package is on the back of my neck! _Iruka knew his face was the color of a ripe tomato.

// I see your face in every flower... Your eyes in stars above...//

Sable orbs rolled to the side where Kakashi was trying to stifle his laughter through his mask. It only grew more difficult when Genma leaned over and trailed one hand up the front of the printed T, full lips tickling the silver hairs near his ear. The jounin started choking on his amusement, hand slapped over his covered mouth as his body shook with restrained mirth. Genma licked the side of Kakashi's face, mask and skin. Kakashi gave up on muffling the guffaws.

Iruka found himself under the tokujo's attention, once again, as Genma slid across the table on his belly. He stopped when he came face to face with the scarred chuunin, honey colored hair swinging with his movements. Iruka smiled into the face of his oldest friend. Genma rolled over onto his back, lifting one leg high and running a hand under the lace garter. His entire body exuded sexuality as he finished the song.

/ It's just the thought of you... The very thought of you, my love //

A flourish of the hand signaled the end of the music and the entire establishment erupted into applause. Genma waved and blew kisses and sat up in order to catch the pair of panties thrown at him.

" You look good in pink." Iruka wiped some tears from his lashes, laughter and emotion getting the better of him. " Like a stick of cotton candy."

" You think I'm hot. I know you do." Genma smirked back and pushed off of the table.

Iruka stood and swallowed the man in a bear hug, hand reaching up to entangle in the straight locks. " You could make manure sexy, Gen-chan. " He kissed the rounded cheek. " I love you, Genma. Thank you, for everything."

" Awwww, don't get all emotional. You'll make me cry, too." The older man squeezed back and returned the kiss.

The chuunin released Genma who promptly fell into Kakashi's lap for gratitude hugs and kisses. Iruka turned away from the spectacle ( judging by everyone's laughter Genma was trying to unmask the jounin) and pulled his other closest friend into a tight embrace. " Love you, Rai. Th-"

" You know we both love you to pieces, 'Ruka-chan, and don't thank us for anything. " The stocky brunette nearly picked Iruka off the floor he was so caught up in the moment. " You've been there for us. Now go rescue your husband-to-be before my husband sucks that black cloth from his face."

Iruka pulled away and pounced on the tokujo mauling Kakashi. Genma pouted, but was quickly placated by his lover brandishing a very expensive bottle of sake. The older couple left the dais and disappeared into some dark corner.

" Well... that was actually pretty good. " Kakashi snickered. His arm found its way around the slightly smaller man and tugged the brunette closer. " And you were right, Genma looks damn good in pink."

" I can't believe he did that. I can't believe you and he and Rai have managed to pull all this off. " Iruka wound his arm with Kakashi's free one, fingers entwining on the jounin's lap. He looked out over the room, picking out joyous faces. _This is such a wonderful moment. I'm so lucky to have so many friends and loved ones here to celebrate with me. _

" Nothing's too much for you, Beloved. I live to make you happy. " Kakashi twisted in his chair, bringing his nose to touch Iruka's. A pale hand reached up and slowly pulled down his mask, head blocking anyone's view of his face. Moist lips pressed forward. " And-"

" And I live to make you horny, I know, 'Kashi love." And Iruka met the perfect mouth with his own.


	11. Childhood Comfort

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks so much to everyone who read!!!

- This is the result of late night boredom and writer's block.

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- Still set within the TI storyline.

**Warnings: ** Some SAP, a little angst (very little)

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Childhood Comfort**

Iruka remembers when he was four years old, walking through the empty house, guided by his father's hand on the back of his head. He had been there before, but now the cheerful atmosphere was gone. The house felt cold. They came upon the big man with white hair and his father spoke to him in hushed words, their voices like sleepy bear rumbles and hoarse winter winds. Iruka was gently pushed into an empty room as his father and the big shinobi headed towards another part of the house.

There was the subtle hint of incense hanging in the air, heavy and cold despite the spring weather warming the outside. Doe eyes swept the room from corner to corner, finally stopping on the silver haired boy sitting in front of the far wall. Iruka scratched his leg with the opposite sandal, standing like a dumpy baby crane in the elegant tatami room. He couldn't quite remember the little boy's name, he never played with Iruka when his parents brought him over, instead sitting somewhere just out of reach with his pert nose stuck in a scroll.

The boy didn't acknowledge Iruka as he stood there. Shifting from one foot to the other, the Umino child studied the pretty candles and decorations covering the small table that sat before the other boy. The chrysanthemum petals spidered out of their short glazed vase, their color as white as the big man's hair. There was a picture of a very pretty lady in the center of the shelf, the lady that had given him cookies last time he was here. Iruka knew the little boy had eyes just like hers. Tired of standing in the threshold waiting for the other boy to say something, Iruka wandered forward and sat next to him. Chubby hands came to rest on chubby knees. The brunette sat quietly, looking at the pretty lady and wondering where she might be and if she would give him more cookies.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed when there came a slight sniffle from his neighbor, the pale hands trembling on the darkly clad knees. Iruka turned his large eyes towards the waif like creature and was shocked to find tears streaming down the drawn face. He studied the picture, then how the child stared so sorrowfully at the framed photo. Iruka did not fully understand, but he knew the silver headed boy was sad because of the pretty lady. Always the empathetic soul, the little Umino leaned to his right, laying his tousled head on the frail shoulder. A brown hand crept into the other's lap and took hold of the ivory hand, dark eyes grew wet with emotion.

Iruka sat silently, while the other little boy sobbed.


	12. Compromising Positions

**Author's Notes**

- For Reggie aka PTB :)

- I SWEAR I AM WORKING ON THE NEXT CHAPTER OF SHOW AND TELL!!! I'm working through some personal crap and honestly writer's block is biting me in the ass at every opportunity. BUT, I am working on ST and will have it posted as soon as possible :)

- Remember Anons; leave an email address! I love your support and I respond to every review!

**Story Notes**

- This occurs approximately six months before the events of TI, and about a week after those events ( mentioned in TI: Ch.4)

- Naruto uses several honorifics for Iruka in this piece, depending on his mood and who he's talking to. They're meant to be inconsistent.

**Warnings: **Coarse language, some details of malexmale sexual relations ( nothing too graphic), etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**For Reggie: **Naruto finding out about Iruka and Kakashi's relationship.

**Compromising Positions**

" I'm almost there, 'Kashi...ughn."

" Shit, Iruka...so sexy."

" Ahh, oh, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The front door burst open just as Iruka felt the wave of heat erupt between their bodies and deep within his own.

" I'm back Iruka- sens-!"

Cerulean, sable, gray and crimson met in astonished silence. Iruka promptly shut his mouth, cutting off the sated groan that was rumbling in the back of his throat, and shakily pushed away from Kakashi; whom, he noted, had already pulled his mask into place. " Naruto, I-" He cut himself off as he realized just what he would be exposing if he lifted away from the jounin's chest and lap. Quickly grabbing for his pants that lay rumpled on the arm of the couch, the dolphin began again. " Naruto, I- please wait!" Iruka was cut off again, this time by the blonde boy's pained expression and swift retreat. The chuunin could hear the sandaled footsteps thumping heavily down the complex's exterior stairwell. " Damnit!"

Iruka shoved off of Kakashi's slumped form and struggled to get into his pants. He spoke to the silent man, voice still breathless from his previous exertions. " Kakashi, just stay here. I'll be back in a while. " His uniform shirt was pulled down over his sticky abdomen. _I reek of sex, but I don't have time for a shower. _

" Have you not given him the ' birds and bees' talk yet?"

Iruka zipped up his black utilities and jerked his sandals from the entry way floor. " It's not the sex part I'm worried about. "

There was a snort and the sound of clothing being rearranged. " What else is there?"

Buckling his footwear, Iruka stood back up and finally gave the elder man his full attention. Kakashi was still sitting on the slightly soiled couch, completely unruffled and cum free, masked nose planted in his customary orange book. The crimson eye had been hidden behind the Konoha leaf, the single gray bored and uninterested. _Like nothing happened. _" The fact that we, his trusted sensei, are screwing each other. "

The jounin idly turned a page. " And how is that any of his concern?" Another page was flipped, Kakashi's expression apathetic, tone of voice nearing a condescending level. " Maybe it'll teach your little brat to knock before entering."

The dolphin wasn't sure exactly what it was. Maybe it was the way Kakashi was sitting so calmly, as though he wasn't covered in semen and sweat just moments before. Maybe it was the way his mouth was ejecting hard edged words when less than a full minute ago it was panting sexual encouragements. Maybe it was a combination of recent events and the building emotional turmoil that the chuunin had been dealing with since their first sexual encounter nearly a year prior. Whatever the cause, Iruka was thoroughly pissed off. " Fuck you, Hatake!" And with that he stormed out of his flat, slamming the door behind him.

Very distinct wet bootprints trailed down the cement walkway, leading to the stair well. Iruka gave a passing glance to the dark clouds hanging in the sky, grateful that the torrential downpour that had begun that morning had petered off into a slight drizzle. He could even see the strip of sunlit sky on the far horizon.

But his thoughts were quickly snapped back to the issue at hand. _Fuck that silver haired bastard! Just... fuck him! _ Iruka still wasn't certain why he was so furious with the jounin, but those reasons were second in import to finding Naruto. _Ok, ok, where would he go? He's upset, he's upset ( fuck Kakashi to all levels of hell !) he's upset and he'll want to be alone, so he'll head ... _Dry cement stairs gave way to a darkened cement walk and the footprints blended into the puddles, the last clear print pointing south. ..._The Hokage's Monument, has to be._ _He and Jiraiya weren't supposed to be back until next week. I can't believe that pervy sannin showed up unannounced- oh wait a minute- yes I can, but that still doesn't make it acceptable. _After deciding on his destination, Iruka teleported to the roof of the neighboring building and took off towards the huge carved mountain. _Poor Naruto! Like walking in on his parents, ughn! _Which the brunette had done once in his youth; it had taken weeks for him to look his mother in the eye after that little fiasco. _Of course, they were my parents. I knew they loved each other and that sex was a part of that, even if I didn't want to witness it firsthand. But Kakashi and me...we're a different story. _

Within scant minutes the stately faces of Konoha's past leaders loomed before the academy sensei and he spotted a bundle of orange, black and blonde on the grassy ridge above the Yondaime's likeness. _Thank kami! _Iruka leapt from one rocky crag to the next until he landed beside his former student. He swiped a bit of rainwater from the horizontal scar. " Naruto?"

There was some sniffling from the proximity of the face buried inside folded arms on drawn up knees. " You smell like him."

_I should've doused in bleach. _The brunette rubbed the back of his head, beneath the messy pony tail. " I'm sorry this is how you found out, Naruto."

" Why ?" Naruto's small voice crept out.

Iruka released a deep sigh, hunkering down to settle to the boy's left. _ Hardly a boy anymore. Fourteen- years- old and an accomplished shinobi. Definitely not my chibi any longer. _" We just sorta fell into it. It happens sometimes, in high stress situations. It's fairly common during missions for teammates to engage in sexual activities. " He knew he was blushing. The ' birds and bees' talk ( given shortly before Naruto's twelfth birthday) had been limited to the technical details and ' when two people care for each other...' , Iruka had avoided the more complicated facets of physical attraction. Now he was having to explain the concepts of casual sex. _I've practically just told him that he's going to be screwed the next time he leaves for a mission. And, depending on his teammates at the time, that may be less than appealing. _ He shuddered at an image of Kiba making advances on the Kyuubi vessel. " It's a form of comfort and stress relief, and while it's nice to have some sort of mutual affection for each other... it isn't necessary. "

" So this isn't the same as with Genma-niisan and Raidou-niisan ?" Naruto's blue eyes appeared over the barricade of his crossed arms. His face radiated confusion, disdain and an odd relief. " You're just using each other ?"

The mixture was disturbing to the older brunette, but the genin's words were what really gained an internal reaction. _" Using each other", that's what it started out as, didn't it? But l couldn't just leave it at that. I got my crush, I got my wish, and I thought I'd be happy. _Iruka ran a hand over his unruly hair, smoothing a few strands back from his face. _And all it took was a few cutting words from that pompous jounin to shatter the little bubble of happiness that I've been hiding in. Very stupid of you Umino. _" You could see it that way, I suppose. I'd like to think that we're friends supporting one another, at the very least, though not at quite the level of Genma and Raidou. " His voice dropped a bit, his disappointment seeping into his words. _But I think Naruto's observation is more correct. _" Did my relationship with them ever bother you? "

" No. They're good guys and they'd do anything for you. But Kakashi-sensei... So you're just having s-sex with each other? Nothing else, right?" A cautious relief pushed the words from Naruto's lips.

" That's right." _I can't claim any different. _

" Good." Naruto uncurled from his tight ball of denial and wiped his snotty face on his shirt sleeve. He gave the clothing a dirty look when he realized that it was soaked and he had just made his face worse. " I don't want you to be with that lazy, good-for-nothing, perverted bastard, but if it's just s-s-sex, " The teen still seemed to be having trouble relating the word to his instructors. " , then I guess, you know... it's alright by me. As long as you're not planning on getting married or anything."

" I don't think that's going to happen, Naruto." Iruka laughed ruefully. He cast his eyes down over Konoha, sighing. _Even I'm not a big enough fool to hope that it might. _

" Oh, crap. You like that bastard, don't you?"

" No, Naru-"

" You do! " Naruto pointed accusingly. " How could you?! How long has this been going on? "

" About a year."

" WHAT?! That long and you never told me?!"

" Naruto, " Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, disregarding the raindrops coating his skin. _He's not a child anymore. I need, and should, discuss these things with him_ " , not everything in my life is your concern. Just as there are private things in your life that I'm sure you'd rather not share with me. " He raised a hand to cut off the sudden protest. " If not now, then in a few years you will have things that you will want to keep to yourself and I will respect that. I have never hidden my social life from you, but neither did I flaunt it or expose you to the more mature details. " _If he asked who I was with the night before, I simply told him I was with a friend. It wasn't like he didn't know what I was actually doing, even if he was a bit vague on the specifics. " _I didn't tell you about this... arrangement, because I had no reason to believe that it was more than a one time thing. It didn't happen again until after you'd left with Jiraiya-sama. "

" I've been back a few times since. You could've told me then." The kyuubi container remained stubborn in his petulance.

Iruka smiled, tired yet loving. " Again, this wasn't, and technically isn't, a regular thing. We're friends, " _I think. _" but it's entirely possible that he'll soon decide that he doesn't need this type of arrangement and it will be over. "

" Oh, crap. You really do like him. I can tell by your voice. " Golden brows drew together over the cerulean eyes. Naruto huffed. " You use to sound like that when you talked about Hisaye. "

" Naruto!" Iruka snapped. The name so carelessly spoken drove a spike of cold numbness through his heart. _How could he bring that name up?! I don't want to think about that right now! _ He instantly regretted his harsh response when he saw the way his beloved blonde cowered before him.

" I'm sorry, Iruka-niisan." Naruto whispered. The wetness in his eyes may not have been precipitation. " I'm sorry."

_What the hell's wrong with you, Umino? _Iruka drew in a ragged breath and carefully put an arm around the teen's shoulders. He pulled Naruto into a firm embrace, lips placing a gentle kiss in the center of the genin's limp spikes of hair. " I'm sorry, Naruto. " The blonde nodded in silent acceptance and Iruka squeezed him tighter. " You're right. I do like Kakashi-sensei. And, yes, I would like to have something more than a friendship or a ' just sex' relationship with him, but it's not something that I can force. So I have to be happy with what I am able to have. Do you understand? "

" Yeah, I guess so. Still don't know why it has to be him." Naruto grumbled under his breath, snuggling further into the warm contact before forgetting that he was fourteen and mushy stuff just wasn't him. The elder's arm was quickly shrugged off. " If you want him that much, I could just beat the shit outta him and make him fall in love with you."

The dolphin threw his head back and laughed heartily. " Thanks, Naruto, but I think I can manage on my own." A trickle of rain itched its way down one tanned cheek, Iruka brushed it away and stood. He looked down at his younger companion with dark, serious eyes. " I want you to promise me that you won't discuss this with anyone and that you won't give Kakashi-sensei a hard time."

" Senseeeeeiiiii. " Naruto whined, standing as well. His back pack was lifted with great exaggeration and the teen pulled a pout that could put Kakashi's to shame.

_" _Promise me. "

" Ugh. I promise that I will not tell anyone that you're in love with that jackass."

" And..."

" And I promise that I won't give the jackass a hard time."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Approximately six months later..._

" I'm almost there, 'Kashi love...ughn."

" Shit, Beloved...so sexy."

" Ahh, oh, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The front door burst open just as Iruka felt the wave of heat erupt between their bodies and deep within his own.

" I'm back Iruka- sens-!"

Cerulean, sable, gray and crimson met in astonished silence. Iruka tried to push away from Kakashi, reaching for his pants laying crumpled on the back of the couch, partially pinned by the jounin's sweating body. " Naruto I- ahhh, damnit Kakashi! " The chuunin swore at his lover and cuffed him on the side of the silver head as the jounin unmercifully pumped his softening cock with firm strokes. Iruka roughly shoved himself off the now masked man, pulling his shirt down over his sticky belly, hunching over to hide his shame while at the same time struggling to get his legs into the dark material of his utilities. " Naruto this isn't-"

" I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei, " Naruto's face was stern, eyes narrowed. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides and Iruka could see the fury etched into every line and gesture. " I know I promised I wouldn't say anything, but I can't take this anymore! "

Iruka finally got his pants pulled up, though they remained unfastened. He approached the teenager with calming words. " Naruto, I meant to-"

" YOU!!!" An accusing finger was thrust in Kakashi's direction. " You no good lazy bastard! Iruka- niisan is too good for you! " Naruto stalked past the brunette, throwing off the restraining arm, his anger focused solely on the silver haired shinobi still lounging on the couch with his cock hanging out of his pants. " You're just fucking him because you think you can get away with it. You don't even care about him! He loves you, for some reason I'll never understand, and you're just screwing him to get your own kicks! "

Kakashi stared with both eyes into the hostile face, a smirk evident beneath his mask. His expression was laughing, though Iruka detected a hint of approval as well. The dolphin again tried to reign in his adopted son. " Naruto, please-"

" So I'm telling you now, " Naruto ignored the pleas, continuing his self justified rant. " , you'd better fall in love with Iruka- niisan and treat him with all the respect and care that he deserves or you leave him the fuck alone!!! " The blonde spikes had bent further and further down until the teenager was practically nose to nose with his elder. Pure menace dripped from his voice. " Or you'll have to answer to me."

_Awwwwwwwwwww, so sweet! _ Despite the threatening air surrounding the little golden headed child, Iruka felt his heart swell with pride at the boy's protectiveness. " Naruto, things have changed a bit. "

" What?" Blue eyes widened, face turned towards the blushing sensei.

Iruka finished zipping up his pants and placed both hands on his hips. Kakashi chuckled at the sight and spoke up before his lover had a chance. " I've already fallen in love with your Iruka-niisan and I am doing my best to treat him with the respect and care that he deserves. " The smile softened under the black cloth, nearly invisible unless one was accustomed to reading ' underneath the underneath'. Kakashi sat up, leaning forward to give Naruto his most serious look. " And if I ever fail him in that, then you are more than welcome to hunt me down and deal with me as you see fit."

The two shinobi exchanged loaded stares for several long moments as the dolphin stood to the side, watching in amusement; though he was a bit miffed that they seemed to be fighting over him like some helpless child who needed his honor defended. Eventually , the younger straightened up and turned his questioning gaze to Iruka, obviously seeking affirmation. The chuunin smiled brightly and nodded. " I was going to tell you tonight at your welcome back party. Unfortunately, you're early. Again." _Well , being late is one trait he managed to NOT pick up from Kakashi. Even if it seems to cause almost as many problems as 'Kashi's tardiness. _

That appeared to be all the answer that Naruto needed. With a shrug of his shoulder the teenager ambled towards the door. " Okay. I'm starving, take me out for ramen!"

The two older men rolled their eyes and smiled.

---------------------------------------------------

_-Yes, I will be explaining Hisaye in detail within the Show and Tell story line... which I swear I am currently working on :) Promise!!! And further exploring Iruka's relationship with Genma and Raidou ;)_

_- This fits into the last chapter of TI, where Sakura and Kakashi are discussing the party at the Hyuuga compound, which was to occur the following week. In case anyone was confused :D ( cuz i totally confuse myself with the timeline) _


	13. CDs: Bonus Track

**Author Notes: Absolute Crack brought on by computer lab boredom XD! I promise I'm still working on Show and Tell !**

**Story Notes: Occurs sometime between CDs and CDs: Part 2. **

**Warning: Some coarse/sexual language, biseinen-ai, etc...**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. The songs belong to their respective artists, listed following story. **

**CDs: Bonus Track**

The plastic square was labeled ' Mean Mix' and inside its lined cover there were various names written in Iruka's precise hiragana. As always, curiosity drove Kakashi's actions and the disc was inserted into an empty tray. He read the first name as he pushed 'Play'.

_Sakura… Hope it's not one of those little girlie songs. _

// I don't want... anybody else

When I think about you , I touch myself...//

The track button was promptly hit. A blush rose beneath the dark mask.

_Genma… Probably some club mix._

// I'm too sexy for my shirt… too sexy for my shirt

So sexy it hurts…//

Kakashi jumped to the next track; he'd already heard that particular song on one of the other CDs.

_Raidou… I wonder if it's that " Melt With You" song, but that'd be too cruel. _

// I get knocked down, but I get up again… You're never gonna keep me down…//

Not a bad drinking song, in Kakashi's opinion. He clicked the arrow button again.

_Tsunade... This could be good blackmail material. _

// She's a brick house

She's mighty mighty, lettin' it all hang out...//

The jounin nearly choked as he tried to swallow his laughter and breathe at the same time. The player clicked, moving to the next song.

_Hinata… I can't even begin to guess anymore. _

// Oh oh here she comes… watch out boys, she'll chew you up

Oh oh here she comes… She's a maneater…//

Kakashi shook his head and moved on.

_Kiba… This has all sorts of tacky possibilities. _

// Mouth is alive, all running inside

And I'm hungry like the wolf...//

He wasn't disappointed. Kakashi cast a look towards his lover who was sprawled on the couch. Iruka slept unawares.

_Gai... This has all sorts of horrifying possibilities. _

// When I dance they call me Macarena

And the boys, they say que soy buena...//

The gray eye was momentarily blinded by the mere thought of the spandex clad shinobi engaged in such a dance. It took several deep breaths before Kakashi could clear his mind of the traumatizing after images.

_Anko... Kami-sama. _

// Don't want no short dick man, don't, don't, don't

Don't want no short dick man...//

The player was nearly destroyed by his forceful button pushing.

_Sasuke... I guess I'm over it enough by now. _

// Here I go again, on my own...//

Despite the light moisture that gathered in Obito's eye, Kakashi smiled at the dolphin's perverse humor.

_Asuma and Kurenai... They get one together, so it's probably make-out music._

// I've been really tryin', baby...

Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long...//

He allowed most of the song to play, as it was one of his personal favorites. Not only was it a good make-out song, but it perfectly defined the relationship between the younger Sarutobi and the genjutsu user.

_Ino...Maybe something about flowers? _

// Hey! Hey! You! You!

I don't like your girlfriend!...//

The lyrics were as direct as the platinum haired kunoichi. And nearly as loud. Kakashi checked on Iruka's status; the man snored lightly and mumbled something that sounded like " pink elephants".

_Temari... Why are there so many bitchy- I mean- strong willed kunoichi on here?_

// Keep your drink just give me the money

It's just you and your hand tonight...//

It had sounded about like he had suspected. Kakashi pressed the button to skip ahead.

_Tenten... I actually haven't seen that little spitfire in a while. I should try to train with Gai's old team sometime. Work on my weapon's defense. _

// Every rose has it's thorn...//

Another smile lifted his lips. It was a cute song to describe the young lady with her deadly arsenal.

_Naruto... This could really go any which way at this point. _

// And all the girlies say he's pretty fly

" For a white guy!" ...//

Kakashi almost swallowed his tongue trying to stifle his giggles. Tears streamed from both eyes as he shoved a fist into his mouth and changed the track, hoping for something less amusing.

_Kakashi... Oooooohhhhh, the truth is finally revealed! _

// Try, try, try to understand  
He's a magic man!" oh yeah  
Oh, you've got the magic hands...//

And with that classic tune issuing from the speakers, Kakashi crawled across the floor towards the couch, where he proceeded to use his ' magic hands' and grope his beloved awake.

--------------------------------------------------

I Touch Myself- The Divinyls

I'm Too Sexy- Right Said Fred

Tubthumping- Chumbawumba

Brick House- The Commodores

Maneater- Hall and Oates

Hungry Like The Wolf- Duran Duran

Macarena- Los Del Rio

Don't Want No Short Dick Man- 20 Fingers

Here I Go Again- Whitesnake

Let's Get It On- Marvin Gaye

Girlfriend- Avril Lavigne

U + UR Hand- Pink

Every Rose Has Its Thorn- Poison

Pretty Fly- Offspring

Magic Man- Heart


	14. He Who Smelt It

**Author's Notes**

**- **I am still working on ST! I'm typing on Ch.7 right now! This is stress relief and writer's block therapy :)

**Story Notes**

**- **Takes place anytime after TI ( as in, they are in a stable relationship )

- I wrote this because after reading something on someone's LJ, I felt that I might not be making Iruka manly enough. So I'm trying to remedy that, kinda...

**Warnings: IT"S CRACK, **biseinen-ai,coarse language, crude behavior, bodily functions...non-intelligent stuff.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

------------------------------------------------------

**He Who Smelt It...**

The silence around the low table was broken by the loud complaints of the second oldest man in the room.

" Aw man! " Genma threw his cards onto the table, not caring that his suits were now visible to all. His face screwed up, an expression of disgust drawing tight lines across is handsome features. " Dammit, Iruka! I told you to warn me before you do that!"

Kakashi looked up from his hand ( straight flush) and noticed the senbon shinobi waving his hands in front of his face before pinching his nose between his thumb and first finger. Raidou, sitting to his left, was chuckling as he picked up Genma's abandoned cards, studying what looked to be two pairs amidst the discarded laminate rectangles. Iruka, sitting opposite, merely smiled and dealt the older scarred brunette his requested number.

The silver haired man stewed in his own confusion for several seconds until a waft of air traveled across his masked nose. Suddenly the little scene before him made sense. _I didn't think Iruka had it in him. I knew we shouldn't have ordered out for curry..._

" Stop bitchin', Gen-chan. " Raidou smirked, but Kakashi could see the dark brown eyes beginning to water a bit. " You're a shinobi. ' Silent but Deadly' is our freakin' motto. " He tossed another handful of coins into the middle of the table.

Iruka continued to smile gently, tan hands folded over his own playing cards. " You know, you only have yourself to blame, Gen-chan."

Kakashi's ears perked up at the defense. " How is that?"

" Genma nearly botched a mission because he farted while we were laying in wait during an ambush. " Raidou supplied the answer, wiping his tearing eyes with the back of his hand. The tokujo began to laugh as he spoke. " The targets heard him and the smell nearly killed us on the spot. We-"

" Shut up! You swore you wouldn't tell that story! " The younger special jounin screamed back at his husband, his eyes wide with embarrassment.

" And that's why you'll never _hear_ Iruka farting. He's a true shinobi." Raidou laughed even harder.

Iruka dumped his cards on the table and grabbed a blanket from the couch. Genma tried to escape, but the chuunin wrestled him into a fetal position and smothered them both under the square of old blue wool. Another series of horrified shrieking, followed by maniacal laughter, issued from the blanket's confines.

Kakashi raked the pile of money sitting in the table's center to the small section directly in front of him. He figured he'd need to buy some more of those scented candles that Iruka liked so much.


	15. Coping

**Author's Notes**

**- ** Another thanks to everyone who read Show and Tell!

- FuyunoAkegata: -giggles- ' edible shinobi'

**Story Notes**

**- ** This occurs several months after the events described in ST: Ch5, I'll Show You Mine, so Iruka is around 20-21.

**Warnings: ANGST ( **ya'll know by now that I am serious when it comes to this angst warning), self mutilation/attempted suicide ( depends on how you look at it), biseinin-ai, coarse language, serious subject matter, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. ' Never Too Late' belongs to Three Days Grace.

**--------------------------------------------------------------**

**Coping **

// This world will never be... What I expected... And if I don't belong...Who would have guessed it...//

The music is deafening and Genma immediately understands why the fujikomero no jutsu has been placed on the apartment. _ This is way louder than when he usually listens to music, even when he's upset or breaking. The fucking floor is practically vibrating with the noise! _He is glad that Naruto-kun is away with Gai-sensei and Lee-kun, a training/camping trip to lift the boy's spirit during somber times. The honey haired shinobi makes his way towards the back of the flat, not even bothering with the formality of removing his sandals in the entry; he will clean up the mess if necessary. And he ignores the stereo blasting from the entertainment center; it would take him forever just to figure out which of the multiple systems is being used. He briefly wonders why he didn't notice anything wrong at lunch that afternoon when he stopped by for sushi and small talk. _I'm going deaf in here._

// I will not leave alone... Everything that I own... To make you feel like it's not too late, It's never too late...//

The music is the least of his worries as he strides through the living area towards the bathroom, fear growing with each step. _Kami-sama, please... He didn't even send a summons. He always sends a summons. Why would he put a muzzle on the door, but not send a summons? _Small images of a happy couple, both with dark hair and eyes and winning smiles, flash through his thoughts and increase his unease.

// Even if I say... It'll be alright... Still I hear you say... You want to end your life...//

Genma reaches the bathroom and tests the knob, thanking whatever deity has blessed him with it being unlocked. _Maybe it isn't as bad I thought. _ The small sense of relief is crushed, however. He enters the cramped space and faces a nightmare, his heartbeat momentarily stalling in his chest.

// Now and again we try... To just stay alive...//

_Oh, kami no..._

// Maybe we'll turn it all around... 'Cause it's not too late... It's never too late...//

White clouds of steam fill the room and Genma is hard pressed to see anything in the thick air as a wave of heat and moisture sweeps over him. Everything smells of rosemary and lavendar, with an underlying metallic tang. The clouds eventually turn to wisps and the tokujo discerns a dark shape in the remaining fog. _Iruka._ Iruka sits slumped on the floor, his back against the wall of the tub, chin resting on his chest. The usually neat tail of dark hair hangs limply in the humid air and sticks to his face and shoulders. The muscular figure is completely bare. Genma notices the faucet gushing hot water into the filled basin, freshwater rivers making their way over the sides, the noise drowned out by the music. He reaches over and turns the handle, slipping on the wet floor, his hand accidentally making contact with the scalding liquid in an effort to catch himself. His yelp of pain is hidden under the thunderous notes. 

// No one will ever see... This side reflected... And if there's something wrong... Who would have guessed it...//

Falling to his knees, Genma can better see the bright crimson trails marring Iruka's perfect caramel skin; mixing with the chuunin's sweat and the condensation and creating murky streams along the defined muscles of his chest, over his belly and angular hips and pooling on the tile floor. A glass bottle of scented bath oil, rosemary and lavender, lays broken in one motionless hand; its jagged edges stained red.

// And I have left alone... Everything that I own... To make you feel like it's not too late, it's never too late...//

" No, no, no, Iruka!" Genma feels the tears pricking his eyes, wanting to fall because his friend is covered in blood and he doesn't look as though he's breathing and everything the tokujo was taught to do in these kinds of emergencies has left him. " 'Ruka-chan! IRUKA!" The broken bottle is smacked aside, the glass skidding on the wet floor and thudding into the hallway's baseboard. Slender hands lift the beloved face, cradling cheeks that are much too pale for the dark skinned man. Genma wishes he could see that flaming blush that occurs whenever Iruka gets particularly flustered over the senbon sucker's lack of tact and diplomacy, usually when they are in the presence of young children. The dark lashes are too stark a contrast fanned over the rounded cheeks, the once rosy lips now slack.

// Even if I say... It'll be alright... Still I hear you say... You want to end your life...//

When the heavy head is lifted, Genma finds the source of the red mess and his sobs burst free for a moment before he clamps down on them. The cuts across Iruka's throat are long and more than skin deep, but despite what looks to be a large amount of life's blood seeping down the barely rising chest, Genma can see that nothing vital has been severed. He forces his hands to stop shaking long enough to draw chakra to his fingertips, brushing them along the incisions to mend the broken muscle and flesh. More beads of crimson well up as he works.

// Now and again we try... To just stay alive...//

" Iruka, Iruka, 'Ruka-chan, c'mon." Genma mutters a constant monologue of pointless comforts. The cuts are healed and he wipes the blood from the tender skin, reaching into his vest pocket for his med kit. Blood pills are pulled from the small package and Genma pushes them into the chuunin's mouth. He scoops warm water from the tub with his cupped hand, laying his palm over Iruka's mouth so the fluid can help the pills go down. The newly healed skin is massaged with shaky fingers to assist the swallow. " 'Ruka-chan, 'Ruka-chan, look at me baby, please baby, look at me!"

// Maybe we'll turn it all around... 'Cause it's not too late... It's never too late...//

Dark eyes crack open. A choking cough as water, saliva and a half dissolved pill are ejected. Genma closes the younger man's mouth, palm pressing gently on the full lips. " Swallow, 'Ruka-chan, swallow for me, baby, and just keep breathing." He is smothering in the heavy frangrance, the whole room reeks of the deceased. Iruka coughs again, but his throat muscles work without prompting. The sable eyes look pleadingly into Genma's hazel.

// The world we knew... Won't come back... The time we've lost... Can't get back...//

" Ba-baby, ba-Hisa- Hisaye." Iruka's eyes widen, greater awareness returning to him. " She's dead. Baby, baby, dead, Gen- " His gaze falls, his fingers lift. Iruka stares at the diluted smears of blood dripping from his hand. " I d-d-didn't mean - I didn't... I'm sorry, s-sorry, so sorry, I-I'm sor-" 

// The life we had... Won't be ours again...//

Genma buries his face in Iruka's wet dark hair, both arms circling the shivering body. " I know, Iruka, I know. " He keeps his voice low, speaking directly into the shell like ear so he won't have to look into those big brown, pain filled eyes. _Oh, Kami-sama... Why did this have to happen? Just one death caused all this and I'd thought we were better shinobi than that. _" I know it hurts, but you have to stay with us, okay? Hisa-chan wants you to stay here with Naruto-kun and me and Raidou and -"

// This world will never be... What I expected... And if I don't belong...//

The chuunin struggles in Genma's embrace. His voice gains strength and volume, his words panicked. " No! No Raidou, no Raidou! Don't tell him, Genma, p-please don't tell him, don't tell Raidou! Can't know, can't!"

// Even if I say... It'll be alright... Still I hear you say... You want to end your life...//

Tears flow freely from Iruka. Genma holds his in. He is amazed at how Iruka can still be thinking about Raidou when he himself is so consumed by hurt that he just tried to slit his own throat. He pulls the brunette closer to his own body in an effort to cease the tremors coursing through the smaller frame. _Always thinking about others, chibi. _Genma already knows that he can not tell Raidou; it would break the older scarred brunette just as easily as the younger. _Rai hasn't been well for over six months, not since the mission. He's gotten so pale, so fragile. _

// Now and again we try... To just stay alive...//

" I won't tell him, 'Ruka-chan. I promise. Shhhhh, just calm down, baby."

// Maybe we'll turn it all around... 'Cause it's not too late... It's never too late...//

Genma startles as Iruka bursts into a fresh fit of sobs and gasps. " I promise, I won't tell him, 'Ruka. Please, **please**, just promise me that you won't try this again. Promise me you'll come to me when it gets this bad. " He tightens his hold and rubs his hand over the trembling back, heaving with the chuunin's cries. _Raidou's drifting away and Iruka is... _ Genma closes his eyes, pushes his nose into the disheveled ponytail and rocks his friend. He tries to block out the music. He tries to reach heaven with his thoughts.

// Maybe we'll turn it all around... 'Cause it's not too late... It's never too late...//

_You're the strong one, Iruka. We'll fall apart if you leave us. We need you. _

// It's not too late... It's never too late...//

-----------------------------------------------------------

- _I promise the next one will be non-angst!_


	16. CDs:Part2 Mizuki's Box

-1**Author's Notes**

- Thanks to everyone who's stayed with me so far

- Thank you to FuyunoAkegata! My beta/muse who indulges my little flights of fancy at 3am.

- For xgossamerstarsx, who waited patiently all this time for her gift fic

- As always, check out my profile page for links to my other stories and Fuyu's wonderful stories that are in the TI universe! Go read her stuff and leave a great review!!!

**Story Notes**

- Occurs directly after CDs: Part 2 and is mentioned in ST-Ch5

**Warnings: **Slightly angsty but nothing like Coping! biseinin-ai, coarse language, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

----------------------------------------------------

**CDs: Part 2- Mizuki's Box**

The jounin jerked his head up to see the exasperated expression marring the beautifully tanned face of his beloved.

_I want to know everything about him. _

Kakashi didn't even attempt an explanation. He turned the stereo system off and waited for his reprimand. _And something tells me I'm about to learn more than I bargained for; like how strong of a right hook he has. _

The academy sensei placed his satchel on the counter dividing the kitchen and living areas, scrolls and papers poking out of its overstuffed top. His keys made a sharp jangling sound as they hit the laminate top, jangling the jounin's nerves, as well. Iruka removed his hitai-ate and flak vest and laid them on the side chair. Then the brunette sat on the floor beside his lover. " 'Kashi love..."

The sound of Iruka's soft voice, heavy with disappointment, was like a slap to the masked face. " I'm sorry. " The silver hair bowed, clothed chin dipping in shame. Kakashi didn't know what else to say. Oh, he had a myriad of excuses and plausible reasons and even an entire spiel about how Iruka should've known better than to leave such a thing out ( well, it was hidden, but Kakashi knew where it was) for the curious jounin to be tempted by. But, he wasn't going to insult his beloved with the weak lies; he should have respected the man's privacy. " I'm sorry, Iruka."

Iruka took the box from the older man and rested it in the space created between his folded legs. Tan fingers picked through the items, carefully handling the more delicate things and wary of the sharper ones. His voice was quiet and held no reproach. " I haven't opened this in over three years... since Mizuki tried to kill Naruto. " Iruka flipped through the CD cases, much like his lover had. " That's when I broke these. "

_Fuck you, Hatake. You've just messed up. _Kakashi cursed himself, sensing the tinge of sadness in the chuunin's voice. _He's not mad at you, but you just brought up some bad shit for him. Why the hell did you open this box? ( Because you're a nosy bastard. Duh.) _ Gloved hands fidgeted in his lap, wanting to comfort the brunette, but afraid of said comfort being rejected. Kakashi trembled in place and remained silent.

Then Iruka spoke again, his voice still low, almost as though he were talking to himself. " You know, Mizuki and I met on the academy playground when I was six. I don't remember much about it except thinking that his silver hair was neat and that he already had his own shuriken. He was older and bigger, but I was scrappy enough to get his attention and I didn't let him push me around. Then I saved him from drowning on a field trip when I was seven and we were inseparable."

Kakashi watched as his lover began poking around in the box, seemingly lost in his memories. The jounin did nothing to disturb him.

" These are from my thirteenth birthday. He had just made chuunin and we ate ramen until we were sick, spent almost his entire first paycheck. " The hashi were set aside, the writing face down. " We were best friends, we served on teams together, we worked well together. Then we moved in with each other, just as roommates when I was almost seventeen. A few months later we became an official couple. "

Yellowed parchment was picked up next. Iruka sighed. " This is from our first big fight when we started dating. I had just gotten back from an undercover mission and I was so tired, but I wanted to let Mizuki know that I was home. I found him at the bar, thoroughly smashed and dry humping the bartender. " The note was not opened, not read, merely held in the broad palms, fingers tracing over the black ink. " He spent the next few days crying on our doorstep, begging for me to take him back. This letter found its way into my school bag and I had forgiven him before classes were out for the day. "

One of Kakashi's hands twitched its way to lay on his thigh, fingers curled lightly underneath.

" There were lots of fights and lots of making up. Lots of sex." The chuunin continued the faint words. " But he would always come back broken and needy and I knew he really was sorry, he was just... misguided. " Dried flora floated inside the cardboard box, dust motes littering the air.

He picked up the sakuras. " From matsuri, the first time he said he loved me. "

He picked up the fernbrake. " From the lake, the first time he kissed me."

He picked up the black-eyed susan. " From the training field, the first time we had sex."

Kakashi resisted the urge to send the entire box into flames with a well aimed fire jutsu. The hand closest to Iruka twitched again.

" This is from an ikebana arrangement, " The younger man turned the smooth blue stone in his hand over and over. " that was in his hospital room when he came back seriously injured from a mission. They weren't sure if he was going to make it, too many internal injuries, but he did. " Iruka's voice shook ever so slightly. " We had fought before he left and I was devastated when he came back half dead. I kept this to remind me not to part on a bad word."

The dolphin pendant was lifted and a tan finger smoothed over its dorsal fin and rounded snout. " This was for our one year anniversary. I was his ' Little Dolphin'. " Iruka actually snorted in disdain, head shaking at the endearment.

_Note to self; Never call Iruka your ' Little Dolphin'. _The jounin kept his visible eye on the box and the hands inside it, not brave enough to look into the always expressive face, not wanting to see the hurt he knew he had cause, no matter how unintentional.

" Ahhh, this was for completing my final undercover mission as a female. " The shuriken earring was carefully held between his fingertips, the pointed ends making only slight indentations in the chuunin's flesh. " I had my ears pierced for the mission and I kept the holes for a few years afterwards, Rai really liked them." A genuine smile, this time. " But, Mizuki had this specially made for me to wear on missions, as a hidden weapon of sorts or at least inconspicuous. I actually eliminated a target with it, in the back room of a club. Turned out he was immune to the poison I had slipped him, so I used this to slit his throat. I still have scars on my thumb pad from pressing so hard."

Kakashi opened his mouth, then closed it again when he realized that he still didn't know what to say.

" He was always doing little things like that after we fought, trinkets or dinners or special treatment. Sometimes he would pamper me for a whole week; hot baths, massages, sex so good it made my toes curl. " The earring was dropped back into the box, the silver braid uncoiled. " But it never lasted. This is from his hospital stay, too. His hair had been butchered along with the rest of him, the nurses cut it off to make it more even. "

Iruka put the silver coil into the corner of the box and lifted the scrap of fabric. The obsidian and wheat design perfectly accented his caramel skin. " Mizuki wore this on our official first date to winter matsuri. He tripped on something at the end of the night and tore a gash all the way up the front, ruining it. " Iruka rubbed the cloth between his palms, lovingly, tenderly. " I kept this bit and he had the rest made into a hanten, although I can't remember if he ever wore it afterwards."

Kakashi's hand fell off his lap, metal plate on his glove clinking against the wooden floor. He drew in a slow breath, fingers clenched into a fist.

The kimono fabric was abandoned, the tickets and flyers and programs selected from the mess. " I was... am... the sentimental one. Some of these are before we even started dating. I just didn't want to throw it away, didn't want to forget the good times. " Iruka laughed lightly at one particular stub of paper, his eyes not sharing in the mirth. " This is the first adult movie we went to in the civilian district. Mizuki made us fake IDs so we could get in."

All that was left was the stack of photos.

The banded group of pictures was picked up and the chuunin gazed at the top image. A very young Mizuki and Iruka, arms around each others' shoulders and smiles bright as the summer sun, gazed back.

Iruka sighed deeply and let the stack fall back into the box without a word.

Kakashi's brow furrowed and he began to lean towards the smaller man. His gloved hand crept closer, as well.

Then Iruka stood with the box containing his life with Mizuki and went into the kitchen. Kakashi remained kneeling on the floor, too stunned to react to the sudden departure. There was a whiff of ozone and smoke, a flash of chakra and flame, and the sound of the sink faucet being turned on.

Moments later, Iruka came back into the living area empty handed and reclaimed his spot next to his lover, this time sitting close enough to touch at their hips. Kakashi moved his wandering hand to the chuunin's back. Sable eyes turned up to the lone gray and a forlorn smile quirked the corners of Iruka's mouth.

" I don't need that stuff anymore." The words quiet, yet determined.

Kakashi nodded and pulled his lover closer, shifting until he had wrapped his body around Iruka's , cheek resting against cheek.

They sat in silence while the ashes were washed away.

-------------------------------

_- See, that wasn't too painful -giggles-_

_- And now you can read Shinobi and Marshmallows, to dispel any lingering angst!_


	17. Shinobi and Marshmallows

-1**Author's Notes**

- Thanks to everyone who's stayed with me so far

- Thank you to FuyunoAkegata! My beta/muse who indulges my little flights of fancy at 3am. And who helped me with assigning appropriate edibles for the delicious shinobi

- As always, check out my profile page for links to my other stories and Fuyu's wonderful stories that are in the TI universe! Go read her stuff and leave a great review!!!

**Story Notes**

- Occurs anytime during which Kakashi and Iruka are together within the TI universe.

**Warnings: CRACK, Crude humor, **biseinin-ai, coarse language, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

-------------------------------------------------------

**Shinobi and Marshmallows**

The fire jumped and sparked and crackled in the blackness of night. Smoke drifted upwards towards the low hanging fir branches, filtering through the emerald needles and dissipating into the starry sky. The crescent moon cupped a few strays wisps before spilling them into the milky way. Ashes floated on the soft breeze, occasionally swept up in the currents of laughter created by three rather drunk , and one slightly tipsy, shinobi.

Iruka and Genma giggled profusely as their conversation alternated between them.

" Do me, do me! "

" Okay, you're... french toast with orange marmalade and honey."

" What about Raidou?"

" Uh, cinnamon mocha latte."

" And 'Kashi-kun?"

" A big dish of vanilla ice cream! And what about me? "

" Well, duh. You're the caramel sauce on 'Kashi-kun's vanilla!"

Genma fell sideways into Raidou, laughing so hard he nearly spit his senbon into the campfire. The older scarred brunette threw an arm around his lover, tongue trailing along the man's earlobe. " Mmmmm, tastes like honey. 'Ruka's right."

Iruka did spit, a stream of beer shooting into the central fire. With the amber liquid trickling down his chin, the chuunin echoed Genma's clumsiness and fell into the nearest lap that just happened to belong to the tipsy Kakashi. Several empty beer bottles were knocked over in the process.

_They're insane. _Kakashi raised a brow and checked his marshmallow, careful to keep the stick away from the smashed chuunin in his lap. _Not quite golden enough. _

" Oh-oh, d-do someone else, 'Ruka!"

" Wh-who?"

" Uh, Ibiki."

" Double chocolate chunk walnut brownies."

" Kurenai."

" Chocolate covered cherries."

" Gai!"

" Oh , pistachio ice cream with butterscotch sauce!"

" Your marshmallow is on fire, Genma." _Good grief. Pistachio ice cream? _Kakashi casually pointed out the flaming glob on the end of the tokujo's stick and tossed him a new marshmallow from the bag. The white spongy projectile bounced off Genma's forehead. The jounin was mildly surprised when a senbon impaled the marshmallow on its way to the ground, long needle quivering in the dirt. _Pretty good aim for having knocked back two bottles of sake- What the fuck?!_

The younger man in his lap had his lips on Kakashi's belly, dark shirt lifted by unsteady hands. " Hehehehehee, you taste like vanilla, 'Kashi. Like the way you taste, mmmm..."

Kakashi restrained his initial reaction, to groan loudly and stretch out so Iruka's agile tongue had access to every part of his body, and instead righted his lover and handed him another beer. _I hope those two pass out soon so I can properly molest my inebriated chuunin. _

" You do drinks, G-Gen-chan." Iruka swallowed a mouthful of alcohol and began twirling his stick through the air above the fire, blackened marshmallow oozing from the sharpened wood. " Like at the chuunin-jounin party last year. That was so f-fucking hilarious! " Sable eyes, slightly glazed, implored the senbon shinobi. " Do Anko!"

" That's easy. Sex on the Beach."

" Kiba."

" Cockteaser."

" Shikaku." Raidou threw the name out, obviously trying to trip up his lover.

" All Jacked Up."

Kakashi snickered and checked his marshmallow again. It was nothing more than a cinder. _Damnit. _He scraped it off on a log within the fire and pulled a fresh one from the bag. Iruka and Genma continued their game.

" Iwashi. "

" Flaming Asshole ."

" Tsunade."

" Slippery Nipple."

" Aoba."

" Blue Balls." Genma snorted sake through his nose as he laughed. Iruka spilled his beer all over his lap. Raidou chuckled as he stumbled off to take a leak.

Kakashi sighed and stuck his new marshmallow into the flames. _Sometimes I miss babysitting genin. _

_--------------------------------------------------_

_- Yes, these are all real names for drinks, cocktails and shots. I couldn't believe all the different ones, it's a great way to waste half an hour, just browsing through a drink list. _


	18. Laying in Wait

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks to everyone who's stayed with me so far

- As always, check out my profile page for links to my other stories and Fuyu's wonderful stories!!! Go read her stuff and leave a great review!!!

- For Fuyu no Akegata and her youngest. My pathetic attempt to give comfort in a bad situation.

**Story Notes**

- Occurs anytime during which Kakashi and Iruka are together within the TI universe.

- I have just randomly given the ninken names according to their physical appearance.

**Warnings: CRACK, poor attempts at humor, **biseinin-ai, coarse language, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

---------------------------------------------

**Laying in Wait**

" Shhhhhhh."

" You 'shhhhh'. "

" Both of you shut up."

" Shhhhhhhh."

" I'm going to bite off the tail of the next dog that makes a noise." Pakkun threatened in a low growl.

There was more random snickering and whimpers from the rest of the Hatake pack, the summons hunkered together in the undergrowth. A glare from the unofficial leader of the group and they fell silent. Pakkun surveyed the area. _Looks like everything is in order. The target should be here shortly. _

" Are you sure he'll come through here?" Megane whispered. He kept a leafy branch in front of his dark glasses, not wanting a reflection to give away their position.

" He's been using this path everyday for the past five months, as long as he was in the village. " Pakkun snapped, angry at his intelligence gathering skills being insulted. " Since he returned yesterday he's been asleep, but he's already out and about and had breakfast, so his next move will be to walk down this path. "

Buru hurrumphed quietly. His large bulk protected the rest of the pack from a rear attack, just in case they were discovered. Not likely, since their mark had been acting rather oddly, his mind pre-occupied as he went about his daily routines. The summons had been observing him for some time and had decided it was time to act.

The twins were on the other side of Pakkun, their muzzles hidden beneath their paws to stifle any noises. The panda like rings around their eyes shifted and scrunched with the varying expressions.

Mimi and Mikon were still as statues. And just as quiet.

A twig snapped a ways off.

The dogs' attention immediately locked onto the bend in the path, partially obscured by overgrown wild flowers and trailing vines. Pakkun raised his tiny paw over the small patch of chakra infused paper. All he had to do was push his paw print onto the tag and the trap would be sprung.

_Uh oh, two sets of footsteps. _The little pug's beady eyes widened and shot a questioning glance at Megane. Wolfish features twitched, then the other dog gave an almost imperceptible nod. _Alright, then. It's our best chance and not likely to come again. _ Pakkun craned his neck forward, risking a peak at the approaching pair, making sure the intended target was walking ahead.

The tension from the other ninken threatened to swallow up the pug's inner calm. His paw itched to spring the trap.

But he waited.

The pair were talking as they walked, the mark slightly ahead of the other, leading the way; voices light and carefree and not at all aware of their imminent danger. Pakkun ignored the tickle in his nose. _Almost... almost... Now!!!_

There was no more than a light tap from the canine's paw as it hit the parchment and a very loud yelp and rush of air and flying leaf litter as a body was yanked from the forest floor.

Another surprised shout was followed by a concerned tenor. " Kakashi-sensei! Are you alright?"

" I believe so, Iruka-sensei. "

Pakkun and his brothers stayed just long enough to witness the silver haired jounin swinging from a large oak branch, a rope cinched tightly around his ankle, and the scarred brunette chuunin looking up with confusion and a hint of amusement in his sable eyes. _Maybe next time the asshole won't forget to give us our treats before he dismisses us! _

A single gray eye shot its hard gaze at the shaking bushes.

Then the ninken ran like hell.

---------------------------------

_owari_


	19. The 15th

**Author's Notes**

- Thanks to everyone who's stayed with me so far

- As always, Fuyu no Akegata has wonderful stories!!! Go read her stuff and leave a great review!!!

- For our favorite scarecrow on his birthday!

- Rough fanart of Kashi on my LJ, just go to my profile and hit homepage.

**Story Notes**

- Occurs the year following ST.

**Rated: R**

**Warnings: **Biseinin-ai, coarse language, malexmale sexual details, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**The 15th**

Iruka's fingers are slick.

Kakashi moans wantonly as three of the tan digits are driven into his body, violating the tight ring of muscle, piercing his core. He wishes he could see how his flesh separates as his lover prepares him, how his entrance stretches around the invaders. He grips the edges of his newly purchased kimono.

Iruka's skin is feverish.

Kakashi arcs into the contact aggressively given, inner thigh sliding along the brunette's well muscled arm, stiff member slipping through the loosely held fist. His low pitched cries fill the space left empty by his lover's commanding comments, the candles flicker wildly in the shifting breezes. He writhes between the open folds of blue and silver silk.

Iruka's cock is thick.

Kakashi grits his teeth as he is impaled in one stroke, the pucker opens under the unpitying assault, his insides displaced by the added mass. He revels in the weight pressing into him, adores the body laying on top of him. Harsh pants are overridden by relieved sobs.

Iruka's hips are sharp.

Kakashi is helpless as the other body slams into his own, pushes him against the wooden planks with bruising force, tears the seams of the intricately embroidered garment. His wrists are pinned to either side of his thrashing head, going numb from the pressure and blunt nails. He wants more.

Iruka's teeth are sharper.

Kakashi squirms under the flash of pearly canines, red- violet ruffled ovals bloom and spread over the porcelain skin, the scant crimson drops immediately swept away. He wonders if his lover may scar him one day, he decides he wishes for it. His peak is so close.

Iruka's tongue is pink.

Kakashi watches the agile muscle trailing over his chest, circling swollen nipples, soothing the insults caused by teeth and nails. He twists to change its course, desiring the gentle caresses to travel upwards. His belly tightens in readiness.

Iruka's lips are soft.

Kakashi whimpers at the tender kisses raining upon his throat, tears up at the contrast to the harsher handling, his breath leaves him at each slight contact. His own mouth cries out for the gesture, plump pieces of flesh parted and pleading. The kiss is all he needs for release.

Iruka's voice is raw.

Kakashi screams his lover's name into the neighboring mouth, sacred endearment given back to its owner with breathy blessings, the entirety of his being fleeing instantaneously. He feels the molten heat on his belly, convulses as it smears between them. His own name vibrates in his ears seconds after.

Iruka's eyes are deep.

Kakashi trembles as the intense sensations slowly seep away, leaving him pathetically weak and vulnerable, unable to cease the shaking of his limbs. He welcomes the pain of disconnection, desperately aches for the strong arms pulling him close to the comforting heartbeat. His lover's gaze settles any doubts in his mind.

Iruka's love is everything.


	20. What They Don't Know

**An introspective of Konoha's most beloved Iruka-sensei.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Warnings: Un-Iruka like thoughts, a different side to the cheerful, but very human, chuunin. **

**-------------------------------------------------------------------**

**What They Don't See...**

It is raining again.

Drops fall upon my face, cling to my lashes, and fill my eyes like forced tears. But there is no emotion behind these tears, for I feel only emptiness. A huge pit opens in my mind and swallows every thought, emotion, gesture, smile.

The pit is darkness. Not the comforting darkness of sleep, with promises of peace and insightful dreams. The pit is darkness, empty, hollow dark; it holds nothing. It is nothing, but it exists in my mind and it stares at me. The blackness dares me to attempt an escape. the blackness dares me to live beyond its borders. The darkness is everything and nothing and it stares at me, cold and empty.

Another droplet stings my eyes. I believe the rain may be slackening, but no, it continues to pour onto my face, unabated.

The pit never widens or deepens, I can clearly see the edges, I can not see the bottom but I know it is there. The darkness never grows, I am simply frozen in place, on the edge.

Unable to move unable to move unable to move.

My hair is soaked. A lock of it is twisted and wet ,wet, wet and it is plastered across my forehead. Will the rain ever stop? The water pours from the gray sky and the black pit begins to fill. Now the darkness is moving, rolling, building into waves; crashing into the sides of the black hole.

The earth beneath me is beginning to shift, the earth is soaked and crumbling under my toes and I dig my toes into the cold mud. The black rain fills the pit, fills the pit with oil colored rainbows and reflections of the gray sky. I shiver in my wet clothes and I remove my toes from the mud and I close my eyes against the stinging rain.

I am tired and I wake up to face the next morning, the smile once again forced to my lips.


	21. Silent Night

naruto belongs to masashi kishimoto.

warnings for biseinen-ai

notes- this occurs the christmas after fuyu no akegata's 'journey' which is still in progress but an excellent read. check out her lj for wonderful stuff!!!

just a little piece to celebrate the holidays!

-----------------------------------------------

Silent Night

Red.

Blue.

Yellow.

Green.

The soft jewel tones blink and flow over pale skin; starbursts of color across an ivory shoulder, a snowy face, disarrayed silver.

Iruka lays on the couch, gazing into the prismatic light bathing the main room of his flat. He breathes in the mixed scents of fresh pine and faded sweat, pervasive cinnamon and lingering musk. The man resting atop him sighs in his sleep, warm breath caressing his skin, wild hair tickling his nose. The chuunin pets Kakashi gently with one hand while the fingers of his other hand scruff through the short fur of several ninken sleeping on the floor next to the old couch. The largest dog's paws stretch all the way to the festively wrapped gifts at the foot of the tree, almost entangled in the ribbons. Iruka wonders if the previous lovemaking disturbed their slumber, though he doubts it, judging by the sound of their low rumbling snores.

Snow falls gently on the other side of the wide window. Iruka hums quietly, sable eyes sliding shut as he basks in his lover's warmth and the tree's prismatic light.

-------------------------------------------owari


	22. New Year's Kiss

-1**Author's Notes:**

- Just a little thing for Fuyuno Akegata's LJ challenge, New Year's Kiss.

- This is part of the TI-verse, so all the pairings are based on that. Placed several years after the time skip, so the genin are in their late teens and so forth.

- Yes, I'm aware of Asuma's fate... wibble, I just couldn't do it without him! I promise to use canon in future fics, but I needed him here!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warnings: **Biseinin-ai, het, some sexual details of the bondage variety, WAFF, SAP, etc...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the stroke of midnight...

Hinata leans to her left and barely brushes her lips across Choji's rounded cheek. The Akimichi blushes furiously and nearly falls out of the tree limb the two chuunin are hiding in during their last minute mission to Grass. He regains his balance just in time to catch hold of the young woman's hand, their fingers gently entwining as they continue their surveillance.

Kotetsu pushes his slighter lover against the wall outside their apartment building, lips meshing together in a heated display of affectionate possession. Izumo moans lightly and pushes his hands into his lover's wild hair, keeping the man still as he plunders the willing mouth.

Kurenai and Asuma lay in bed, curled around each other in post coital bliss. Their kisses blend seamlessly from minute to minute, regardless of the time.

Lee presses an enormous bouquet of roses into Sakura's hands and places a chaste kiss on the kunoichi's mouth. Sakura quickly deepens the kiss and drags the green clad warrior into her apartment.

Shikamaru brushes the sand from shaggy blonde hair, his usually slack mouth caressing Temari's chapped lips and drawing her tongue inside. The moon shines brightly on the two jounin as they lay on the rooftop of the Kazekage Tower, avoiding the snide comments and curious glances of her lonely siblings.

Kiba rolls over in his futon and murmurs in his sleep, Akamaru's cold nose bumping against his lips.

Ino and Shino, both exceedingly drunk, only one characteristically so, grapple sloppily in the girl's bedroom as they try not to wake the blonde's father sleeping in the room below.

Neji and Tenten sit across a table from each other in the Hyuuga compound, playing mahjong and sipping sake. The weapon's expert comforts her friend with a pat on the hand, knowing the pale eyed teen is thinking of Gaara as her own wishful thoughts turn towards his troublesome brother, Kankurou.

Tsunade pushes Jiraiya out of her bedroom window, wiping her mouth with her long sleeve. The white haired sannin manages to sneak in one more kiss and a firm grope before he loses his grip on the window sill and falls to the ground far below.

Aoba stumbles as he leaves the bar. Shizune catches him with her breasts. They figure ' Why not.'

Ibiki bites down on his black rubber ball gag as Anko places a line of kisses down his spine, all the way to the dimple hidden between his cheeks. He moans around the gag and wiggles his ass in the air. Anko placates him with a sharp slap to his thigh, a series of soft endearments spilling from her lips.

Naruto sits atop the Hokage Monument and thinks of Sasuke.

Sasuke sits atop a far off cliff and thinks of Naruto.

Ko-chan's golden eyes widen in surprise as Genji entraps her in a bear hug and kisses her through the mask. The combined tittering and 'awwwww's of the Namiashi family cause the blush to rise to both their faces, the older boy swiftly releasing her. Ko-chan takes advantage of the awkward moment, yanking her mask down and kissing her friend properly.

Raidou and Genma lay in the short grass on a training field, watching the fireworks burst overhead. The scarred brunette cradles his husband's face in one large hand, soft kisses raining across lighter skin, breath mingling and shortening and panting as the two men quickly forget about the colors exploding above.

Kakashi leans over the mission room desk, dark mask pulled down as his lips slowly meld with Iruka's. The chuunin brings one hand up to tug on the heavy flak vest, drawing the man closer, pushing his tongue further into the warm mouth. The older man happily allows himself to be pulled onto the desk, leaning onto his elbows and smiling into his lover's kiss.

----------------------------------------- happy new year's!


	23. Umino's Bareback Law: The Beginning

-1**Author's Notes**

- Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews :)!

- Thanks to Fuyu for still loving me after warping her perception of 'Ruka!

- Thanks to everyone who reads this mess XD!!!

**Pimpin**

- Check out Fuyu no Akegata and Jam and Jelly! Both have profile pages and LJ's or can be found in my own f-list. And check out everyone in Fuyu's journal, the best circle of people you'll ever discover!

**Story Notes**

- TI-verse. This is something of a prequel for Tied With a Bow, and is a short piece of back story from something mentioned in Show and Tell, which is Umino's Bareback Law. Check out my LJ ( link on profile page) and the Master Fic List post, it has links to all my fics and related fics for the TI-verse. And feel free to play in my journal while you're there, lol.

- Iruka is 16 or 17. Genma is somewhere between 21 and 23. I'm still working on a good timeline ( aren't we all).

**Warnings: **Coarse language, biseinen-ai, nudity, recreational drug use, sappy-waffy-fluff edged with seriousness, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Start the Fire belongs to No Doubt.

**Release of Liability: **I do not endorse the recreational use of illegal drugs. Just like I do not endorse underage sex, unprotected sex, killing for a living, ramen benders, supernatural beings, hot man sex, girls kissing girls, world peace, the color yellow, so on and so forth, etc. I merely write about them. See my LJ for my full disclaimer rant, lol.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Umino's Bareback Law: The Beginning**

// C'mon baby get the lighter... We're gonna start the fire...//

Iruka sat on the floor of Genma's apartment, his bare back resting against the tokujo's small bookcase, his bare bum comfortably warming a spot on the rug. Mid morning sunshine poured through the window and bathed the entire space in an almost superficial calm. The young chuunin hummed along with the music as it flittered softly through the one room flat. In his naked lap lay an open schoolbook, thin sheet of paper in the crease, slender line of shredded green plant matter gracing one edge as Iruka's golden fingers carefully folded the paper over. " ... Lying here back to back... Waiting for you to react..."

Occasionally his dark eyes would catch sight of the broad hand on the strip of wooden plank between the rug and the bed, sweeping up the muscular arm to an even more muscular shoulder and peaceful face. Genma slept soundly on the low platform, tummy down on the soft mattress as his rear end was undoubtedly sore. Iruka couldn't suppress a tiny smile at the memory of the relentless pounding the night before. _He won't forget that soon. _ Then he sobered up as he remembered the argument that had led to the aggressive shag session. The paper was tucked over again and the teenager lifted it to his mouth, tongue swiping over the delicate surface before returning it to the schoolbook. The hard covers of the mathematics manual grew warm where they touched his thighs and pressed against his flaccid member.

The smell of sex still hung heavily in the little room, saturating the bedclothes, the dirty laundry nearby, the clean laundry still in the basket, the poor excuse for a curtain pulled to the side of the window. The scent of used latex emanated from the waste bin. Overlaying it all was the faint stench of burning cannabis issuing from the short cig dangling at the corner of Iruka's mouth.

// Sometimes all I need is a good push, roll over and whisper some goodness... Go on baby you be the hero, now can we go back to zero...//

The tokujo stirred in his bed, almost sighing in his sleep, fingers twitching on the floor. Iruka barely even looked up as he raised the slender stick of grass and paper to his tongue for its last sealing lick. Deft twists of the ends and the joint was placed in line with its siblings at the chuunin's side. "...Let's get a little hi-gher... The battlefield is ti-red... Never miiiiiiiii-ii-iiiiiind aaaall tha-aat... Go on baby and get the lighter, we're gonna start the fire..." Iruka sang quietly, though perfectly on key, smooth voice melding with the tune escaping from the little radio on the bookshelf behind him. He tapped the end of his smoke on the worn out cat dish that Genma used as an ashtray, black and gray specks littering the old plastic. " Just come here and cuddle up, I feel a little rough... I missed you in my sleep, are you still mad at me..."

" Uh, yeah."

Iruka resisted the urge to smile at the sleep husky voice that came from the bed. He placed another square of paper on his book and sprinkled a line of dank green across it. Iruka inhaled and waited. The paper was tucked over the grass, licked, and rolled. He exhaled a long stream of smoke, enjoying the buzz as his body absorbed it. " Go on and get the li-ghter... We're gonna need some fi-re... Let's get a little hi-gher... The battlefield is ti-red... Nevermiiiii-iiii-iind aaaall tha-at...Go on baby get the lighter, we're gonna start the fire..." Iruka finished the chorus, placing the new joint in the neat row of white sticks. He wondered briefly how much Yoshino-san would charge to roll his purchases for him. " I don't believe you have any right to be mad at me, Genma-sempai."

" Damnit, don't start calling me that again." The honey haired man groaned and pushed his face into the crumpled pillow. Creamy skin stretched over the finely sculpted muscles. Genma's words were muffled. " I think I have the right to be pissed off about my aching ass and my aching back and my-"

" -itching crotch and my enflamed rash and the possibility of permanent infertility. Should I go on? You're damn lucky that the effects were immediate so you didn't end up spreading it to half of the known world. And that the nurse didn't ask too many questions before she handed over the meds. " Iruka flicked more ash into the dingy bowl. _Did Genma ever even own a cat? _" You know the only reason you haven't been written up is because the nurse didn't want her lover to find out that she had been infected, too. " _Though I should probably step up and do it anyway so the poor girl is aware of what her girlfriend is doing while she's on missions. Pathetic. _

" 'Ru babe, it's not like I meant to-" Genma lifted his head and reached out in a request for a hit from the joint, but he was denied and cut off once more.

" You never mean to, Genma. You just don't think." The young man tilted his head back to rest on the wooden shelf, temporarily abandoning his task to exhale another cloud of smoke with his deep sigh. " And then things happen and people suffer and someone, usually me or Raidou-sempai, have to fix it and teach you a lesson. " Iruka thought back over his 'lesson' from last night; it had involved being clothed head to toe, complete with gloves and condom and no skin to skin contact whatsoever during the sex-a-thon. Not even a kiss had been exchanged. The chuunin had given his beloved friend a taste of his future should he fail to keep himself protected during his sexual conquests, explaining the new requirement for official proof of being disease free before the darker brunette would allow any naked intimacy. Genma had protested long and loud, but to no avail. " It could have been something even worse than crotch rot, Genma. There are still things out there that kill without the use of kunai and senbon." He leveled his lover and friend with a somber gaze.

Iruka was bound and determined to never again be afflicted by second hand carelessness.

// Climb in, and love me... Climb in and love me... Go on now baby, you get it...//

A warm touch settled on the younger man's foot. " I'm sorry, 'Ruka." Genma's cow-like eyes stared sorrowfully above the white pillowcase. The sincerity was nearly tangible.

// Had quite a heavy night... So delicate our love and pride...//

Iruka exhaled, fingers sliding over the scarred and callused hand curled over his toes. " I know you don't give a rat's ass about yourself or the thousands of sluts you pick up in every country on the map, but at least think about me and Raidou-sempai before you stick your prick into the next available hole. Alright?" _And I'm going to have to start keeping track of my shit, too. Save myself some stress if I ever do contract anything or , kami forbid, if a questionable pregnancy pops up somewhere. At least I'll have some documentation. _

" I promise." The tokujo gave the teen's foot a firm squeeze.

// One more famous night to remember... Let's laugh at my silly temper...//

" Now let's spend the morning sweetly... Get over here now and complete me..." Genma grinningly sang his favored lines, the bright mischievous light again filling his eyes as his sleep roughened voice lilted as best it could.

The chuunin couldn't help but smile back, scar lifting on his cheekbones, drawing in a large mouthful of acrid smoke and leaning forward to seal his lips with Genma's. The contaminated air passed between them as Iruka's thoughts turned away from the blank scrolls sitting in the back of his closet just waiting to be filled with names and dates and activities performed, and instead concentrated on how warm the tokujo's tongue felt against his own.

// Go on now baby, you get it...//

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

owari


End file.
